If Only You Loved Me
by BluWine
Summary: AOTC timeframe. It'll be the same story as the movie but with a twist. Twist being that Padme has a younger sister, named Khariya, who can love Anakin more than Padme EVER could.
1. Chapter 1

If Only You Loved Me…  
By Tricia  
  
Subject: Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones  
Characters: Padmè, Anakin, Khariya*my made up sister of Padmè*  
Summary: I've seen the movie and thought that though Padmè and Anakin we're meant to be together I wanted a lil difference in their lives. Difference being that Padmè has a sister that loves Anakin more than Padmè ever could…  
rating: will be nc-17. pg-13 at the moment I guess  
  
Chapter 1: See You Again  
  
Khariya was waiting for her sister's return. It had been only a few months that she'd been gone. Only few months compared to the long years that she'd be away as a Senator before. Khariya was scared that something awful had been happening in Coruscant that triggered her quick return but she was still happy. She loved her sister and couldn't wait for her to return to their palace home in Naboo…  
  
The starship landed on the grassy plains of Naboo that afternoon. As it touched the ground, Khariya was bouncing on her toes and fought against the wind to keep her sight on the ship that held her older sister. Her light blue dress went wild around her as the wind blew through her raven hair. The door opened.  
  
Suddenly her breath caught. A young man had stepped out of the ship as the wind died down. His blond hair waved at the remaining breeze and his blue eyes stared hard around to confirm if there was any danger around.   
  
"He's a Jedi…" Khariya thought, spotting his light saber. "Oh my… Is that Ana? No it couldn't be could it?" Padmè appeared at the door and Khariya's thoughts of the handsome young man were banished and replaced by her returning sister… for a time.  
  
"Khariya," Padmè called as she spotted her 18-year-old sister running to embrace her.  
  
"Padmè," Khariya replied, hugging her. The Jedi stood awkwardly at the two girls and stood there just waiting for one of them to acknowledge him. "I thought you weren't returning until the conference was over and a decision was made about the Republican policy?"  
  
"Circumstances change and it seems like I have a bounty on my head," Padmè said solemnly. Khariya's initial happiness disappeared and Anakin could see the complete seriousness in the young girl's face.   
  
"Then why are we out here in the open? Let's go inside…" Khariya said forcing a small smile. Anakin stayed behind them as they walked and he felt a prickling at the back of his neck. Then he heard the younger girl's voice say his name and Anakin grinned slightly. They were talking about him.  
  
"Anakin. He's grown up so much," Khariya murmured, stealing a glance behind him to catch a glimpse. "He's not the same boy I remembered from when I was little." Padmè smiled and read Khariya's eyes.  
  
"You're attracted to him?" Padmè asked teasingly.   
  
"Goodness… you think?" she answered sarcastically. "Look at him! He's… He's… perfect." But then Khariya shook her head. "But he's attracted to you not me so I'll just let my feelings slip." Padmè looked at Khariya surprised.   
  
"What do you mean he's attracted to me, Khariya?" Padmè asked.  
  
"I can tell by the way he looks at you. Eyes give away your most darkest and well-kept secrets. Anakin's eyes give away that he's attracted to you," Khariya said. "Why is he here anyways?"  
  
"He's my bodyguard…" Padmè started.  
  
"Do you think he remembers me?" Khariya interrupted, her eyes looking at everything but Padmè.   
  
"Yes he remembers you. He asked if you were well on the way here," Padmè answered. They stepped into the palace and made their way to the bedrooms. "Anakin?" Padmè called. She turned and faced the Jedi Padawan. "You'll be sleeping in here okay?"   
  
"Who'll be sleeping next door?" Anakin asked eyeing the intricately carved doors next to his.   
  
"I'm on one side and Khariya is on the other," Padmè answered. Anakin slipped his bags down to the floor in his room. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for the meeting tonight." Padmè left and Anakin started to unpack his clothing.  
  
"I wouldn't do that just yet," Khariya said standing at his doorway. "If Padmè is really in trouble then you'd have to move to the summer castle tomorrow." Anakin looked at Khariya and smirked.  
  
"How do you know that?" Anakin asked.   
  
"Padmè has been on the hit list since she was fourteen and I was only eight. Every time some enemy of Senator Amidala has finally gotten the courage to attempt an assassination she makes a hideout out of our summer palace near Nairoet Lake," she answered. She stood there looking into his blue eyes wanting to say just a little more than her sister's escape plans but couldn't.  
Anakin looked right back at Khariya trying to use the Force to read the feelings he couldn't place in her eyes. Looking at her up and down, he noticed that Khariya had grown up… a lot. She was taller and more elegant. Her old messy hair was replaced by shining black tresses that were wrapped above her head. Her old smudged face was now beautiful and clean.  
  
"You've grown up a lot, Khariya," Anakin said and beckoned her into the room. "I remember you as this tiny girl running around the palace always dirty and never behaving like a princess. Now you could rival Padmè." Khariya sat next to him on his bed.  
  
"I was just wondering…" she trailed off trying to put together words in her head. Why did she feel so tongue-tied next to him? "When we were children and you had come here…"   
  
"Yes…" Anakin said egging her on to keep going.  
  
"Did… Did you know I had a crush on you?" Khariya said quickly. Anakin had barely understood her sentence and was surprised that she said it.   
  
"You did?" Anakin laughed. Khariya sighed in frustration.  
  
"I am going to kill Sabè. She said you had known all along," she muttered.  
  
"Do you still?" Anakin asked amusing himself in the new found situation.   
  
"Don't even push it, Anakin Skywalker." She stood up and out her hand on her hips.   
  
"I think I should. It's not everyday that the sister of the Nubian Senator proclaims her love for you," Anakin chuckled standing over her and glaring at her.  
  
"I did NOT proclaim my love for you. I merely had a crush on you…" But she couldn't finish for Anakin put his hands around her waist and started to tickle her mercilessly. He carried her easily onto the bed where he laid her and continued his attack.  
  
"Just a crush?" Anakin yelled over her pleading for him to stop. "That's it? I really don't think so, Khari. C'mon… Admit it… You love me..."  
  
"Okay… Okay, yes I love you," she gasped. His finger stopped their dangerous dance but still rested at her waist. Only now did either of them notice their position.   
  
Khariya was lying down on the bed, her chest heaving and her breath loud and labored. Her hair was a mess again and her arms had found their way around Anakin's neck in the process of trying to push him away. Anakin was looming over her, her legs between his knees and his face right above hers.  
  
"Khari," Padmè called from in her room. "Are you all right?" Anakin jumped off of Khariya and immediately straightened his body. Khariya slipped off his bed and ran to the door that led to her room in Anakin's room. Just before she disappeared, Padmè ran into Anakin's room.  
  
"Khariya, what was all that noise?" Padmè asked confused.  
  
"Anakin…" Khariya answered quickly. "He…" Anakin looked at Khariya questioningly. "We were just playing around that's all, Padmè. Go back to your room before you become late to the meeting." Padmè nodded and went back to her own room. Anakin followed Khariya into her bedroom and collapsed on her bed laughing.  
  
"Anakin… He…" Anakin mocked. "Don't blame me for trying to get to the truth, Khariya."  
  
"Well, Anakin can you kindly take yourself out of this room?" she requested smiling. "I have to get ready too, you know." Anakin got up and walked out of the room. Before he closed the door, Khariya called him. "Ani," she called softly. She walked to the door and stood before him shyly. She looked up and showed her true sincerity in her eyes. "It was nice to see you again." Gathering all her courage, she tiptoed and kissed him softly on the cheek. Anakin was surprised by the kiss but he smiled at her when she stood before him again.  
  
"It was nice to see you too, Khariya," he murmured then the door closed and Anakin was left to ponder on his own thoughts. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Decision to Leave  
  
The meeting was wrapping up and Khariya stood in the shadows of the grand room. Anakin stood beside Padmè in his Jedi stance ready for any danger that could have possibly came to a mile's distance of the Galactic Senator. When all was done, Khariya stood by the end of the hall waiting for her sister to join her. One of the leaders of Naboo brought up the subject of Senator Amidala's safety. As Khariya had predicted, Padmè suggested the summer palace in Nairoet Lake.  
  
"In all due respect, m'lady," Anakin objected. "As you're bodyguard, I want to have a say in where you'd be most safe." Khariya grinned finding it funny how Anakin's tongue was uncomfortable in saying m'lady. Like always Padmè argued back and won the fight. With Padmè's back turned away form her and Anakin's eyes able to see her, Khariya imitated Anakin's stance and silently mocked how he talked. Anakin looked past Padmè's shoulder and spotted Khariya horribly imitating him. "I'm sorry, m'lady," he said finishing the argument and bowing slightly.  
  
Padmè said something in return to accept his apology but Anakin did not hear it. He was too busy looking at Khariya, who had just imitated his last actions silently. Anakin could barely contain himself. It was horribly funny how a respected aristocrat of Naboo was standing like a Jedi in her flowing red dress and mouthing words silently in mockery. He let himself a smile and looked back at the group of people in front of him.  
  
"Yes, m'lady." He said knowing nothing about what he had just said yes to. He looked back at Khariya hoping to catch her smile but he could see her face had fallen and she slipped out of the room silently.  
  
"I am a sir, young Padawan. Not a lady," a man said. Anakin was surprised. What did he just agree to? "Well then it's settled. Anakin and Amidala will leave for the summer palace tonight and Khariya will stay here."  
  
"No," he cried out. Now he knew why Khariya looked a little hurt when she left the room. "I changed my mind. Khariya should come with us." Everyone looked surprised.  
  
"I see no reason why the sister of the one to be assassinated should be held in protection too," the man said.  
  
"They might use her to draw out myself and the Senator," Anakin reasoned hoping that would be enough to get them on his decision. "They might use her as bait. As a future Jedi I've been brought up to protect those that are in any possible danger. I think that maybe Lady Khariya should be protected as well for she is close to the Senator." The man nodded and shrugged.  
  
"So be it," he muttered.  
  
As they were leaving, Padmè said, "Khariya will be grateful that you're letting her stay with us at Nairoet."  
  
"I hope so," Anakin replied. They all walked to the dinner table and as they all sat down Padmè realized that Khariya wasn't at her seat.  
  
"Sabè, where's my sister?" Padmè asked as her handmaiden sat next to her. Anakin looked up in curiosity.  
  
"Khariya took her dinner and went up to her room. She said she didn't feel well and asked to not be disturbed," Sabè answered. Padmè's face creased with worry.  
  
"Anakin, I can't leave the guests. Can you please check on Khariya? Just make sure she's okay," Padmè requested.  
  
Anakin nodded and stood up. He walked through the rooms and halls and finally reached the hallway that led to their rooms. As he walked stealthily down the hall, Anakin took out his vidcom to take a peek at what Khariya was doing.  
  
The vidcom took a second to respond and when it did that picture was blurry. He could only see her body's silhouette walking around in the room. Anakin's body tensed in worry. That video camera should have been picture perfect. He couldn't help but wonder if someone was trying to sabotage Khariya's cameras. Without even thinking, Anakin rushed through her doors and lit up his light saber.  
  
The moment he saw Khariya, he almost fainted. He had caught her in the middle of putting on her robe. Even if it was just for a moment, Anakin caught a glimpse of Khariya's naked body.  
  
"Anakin!" Khariya gasped, embarassed. Anakin put down his light saber and put it in his belt again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have covered the cameras but." She paused for a second as she stretched to try to take down the translucent veils on the camera lenses. "I was about to bathe and I. I knew you'd be on the other side watching and I didn't want you to look." With every word she said, Khariya turned redder and redder. Anakin was blushing also. His eyes went toward her bathtub and then blushed harder.  
  
"It's all right, m'lady. I shouldn't have barged in like that," Anakin stuttered. Khariya stopped her walk to her closet and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Don't say m'lady, Anakin," she smirked. "You sound like you have a cold saying it. You really can't."  
  
"About this afternoon at the meeting." Anakin started.  
  
"No, it's all right Ani. I'm not in danger. Padmè is. I can't be a distraction when my sister is in danger," Khariya replied.  
  
"Does that mean you're not going with us tonight?"  
  
"Where to?"  
  
"Nairoet. I decided that you might be in danger too. The assassins might use you as bait so I want to keep my eye on you too," Anakin answered.  
  
"Seriously," she grinned. Anakin nodded adding to the happiness that he could see in Khariya's face. "Oh Thank You Anakin. You have no idea what it means to me to be able to come." She ran and put her arms around the Jedi Padawan. Anakin didn't know how to react and just smiled back at her.  
  
"Well go on with your bath. We're leaving soon. Get ready," he grinned. All Khariya could do was smile as he left.  
  
When he disappeared, her face fell in realization of what the situation would be like at Nairoet. Anakin and Padmè would be alone together most of the time and she would be left to watch. They would feel their spark and she would be left to feel . nothing. She would watch her heart break like that. She was beginning to have second thoughts about the trip. Anakin could feel her reluctance to go vaguely as he walked down the hallway. He stopped, wondering whether or not he should turn back and see what was wrong. He felt skeptically, emotional pain and then. tears. He turned back around and knocked on her doors.  
  
"Khariya!" he called. "Is something wrong?" Khariya started in the water. She had already let her tears come at the thought of falling for the man that was falling for her own flesh and blood.  
  
"Anakin?" she answered through her door. Anakin smelled the sweet scent of the water in her tub and for a second he had an image of Khariya bathing naked in flower petal covered water, candles around her and then he saw himself in there with her doing things he would never have thought himself doing to Khariya. Padmè maybe but not Khariya. His thoughts were broken by Khariya standing at the door soaking wet. Anakin saw a trail of water from the tub to the floor, a puddle where she stood when she put on a robe. "Is there anything else?"  
  
"What's going on in there?" Anakin asked, concerned. He saw that her eyes were pink. "I felt. Were you crying?"  
  
Khariya frowned at Anakin. "Umm. I got some of the essence in my eye." Anakin knew, of course, that she was lying. He concentrated and heard her thoughts.  
  
"Ani. I know you can read thoughts. If you have any respect for me at all, please keep your mind tricks away from my head. Let me have my privacy." Anakin was taken aback when all of a sudden she put a guard on her thoughts. He was closed from them, completely. He didn't know she could do that. Usually, only Jedi could do that. "Not only Jedi, Anakin."  
  
"You can. You can use the Force?" Anakin asked taken aback. "It's actually much easier than I thought it would be," she reminisced. "And Obi Wan was a wonderful teacher." She leaned on the door recalling on her lessons with Obi Wan. Lessons that she wasn't suppose to be given.  
  
"Obi Wan? As in my Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi?" Anakin asked still shocked. Fact was Obi Wan was a prude and he went by the rules no matter how hopeless the situation if you had to use the rules. She nodded.  
  
"Wait, how come you can have privacy but you can read my thoughts easier than you can read books?"  
  
"I don't need the Force to see you thoughts Ani," she smiled. "You eyes can tell me all your secrets in one glance." Khariya was talented in reading people's thoughts through their eyes. Anakin wasn't. He just couldn't place anything with this girl especially the sort of wistful look in her eyes as she looked into his. "You have beautiful eyes, Anakin. Don't try to hide them."  
  
"What do you mean?" Anakin asked.  
  
"Every time you're confused, your eyes cloud up," she explained. "I mean, it has this. tendency to show every emotion you have but you always start to squint and you hide your eyes just when it starts to become even more beautiful with passion. Don't let it do that." With the mention that he had emotion, Anakin had a moment of resentment toward Khariya.  
  
"I don't have emotion and I don't have passion, Khariya. A Jedi doesn't have that. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to control the Force the way he could," Anakin said flatly. "To use emotion is to become Sith."  
  
"That might be what you think but I believe more in emotion than I do in the Force," Khariya grinned. "And I'm not really an evil Sith Lord am I?" Anakin let go of her first comment and smiled in return.  
  
"I don't know. You do border the Dark Side every now and then. I even remember the things you did when both of were children like the time in the towers and how all the vases and statues broke mysteriously," he teased, with twinkling eyes. Khariya turned serious immediately.  
  
"Anakin," she whined, quietly. "No one knows about that but us. Can we keep it that way please?" Her eyes turned insistent. "Padmè is still furious at the mention of that. It turned out that one of her darling charms were in those statues. Padmè might not be very materialistic but once one of her favorite things is broken. You do not want to do that. ever."  
  
"Okay, okay!" Anakin cried out putting his hands up in surrender. "Just make sure that your sister doesn't know how to use the Force." "Please," Khariya scoffed.  
  
"Padmè? The Force in her? A rock on the stone has more midichlorians than that woman. It probably even has more chance in becoming Jedi than Padmè. Smart and powerful but the Force. not quite." She sighed and looked at her bathtub, noticing that there was no steam rising from its fragrant waters.  
  
"So much for my bath. I really wanted to take it. You on the other hand kept bothering me for thinking that I was crying for some reason." She smirked but then. There it was again! That look in her eyes that was driving Anakin crazy with wonder was there again.  
  
"I KNOW you were crying. You're just lying through your teeth. Otherwise, you wouldn't be blocking your thoughts from me," Anakin retorted. Ignoring the comment, Khariya looked down the hall and back at Anakin.  
  
"Padmè is looking for you downstairs. She wants to eat and they won't eat until you're there. Just call me when we're to leave," she held softly. She closed the doors and he knew it was the end of any conversation for the night. 


	3. Chapter 3

This was a hard chapter to do just because I had written almost four chapters after this chapter. I didn't connect them and I had like full on writer's block just for this chapter and I admit it won't be my best but hey I have to make mistakes before I do anything better than the mistake...  
  
Chapter Three: On The Way To Hiding and Anakin's vision  
  
Anakin had barely eaten in anything at dinner, and Padme noticed. It wasn't because of anything of that much seriousness or tension. It was because Anakin was flirting with Padme shamelessly. When all the guests had left it was only herself and Anakin left in the dining hall.  
  
"Padme, do you feel something diffrent around us?" Anakin asked seriously all of a sudden right after giving out a hilarious joke. Padme stopped laughing and looked away.  
  
"I have no idea what you mean, Anakin," Padme answered looking away and standing up. "Do you think we should leave now?" Anakin was surprised that she had almost completely ignored his question.  
  
"Seriously, Padme. I feel something diffrent." Padme could see that he was innocently unaware of what he was feeling.  
  
Maybe he actually didn't know what's going on between us, Padme thought but pushed the thought aside. With her conversaton with him about compassion, it would have been impossible for him not to know that they were falling in love with each other... Padme stopped herself. No, I couldn't possibly. I'm much too busy to be able to, Padme thought.  
  
"I think, I'll go up and call Khariya," Padme walked out on him.  
  
Padme hurriedly walked into Khariya's room and collapsed on her sister's bed.  
  
"What's wrong, Padme? Trouble with the Jedi?" teased Khariya from her post at the vanity as she combed down her hair.  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it," Padme muttered.  
  
"Yes you do. You want to explain to me the one hundred and one reasons why he shouldn't fall in love with you and why you shouldn't fall in love with him and of course that extra one hundred and one reasons why if you do there wuld distrous consequences," Khariya laughed.  
  
:"I said I don't want to talk about him and about anything connected to him," Padme snapped, walking up behind Khariya and sighing. "What would I give to have straight hair..."  
  
"and what I would give for curly brown like yours so technically we're even," Khariya grinned. "Well I'm ready. Are we leaving?" Padme nodded and took her sister's hand. Together they left with the handmaidens and guard brought their luggage down to the river boat.  
  
"What time will we be arriving at the other palace?" Anakin asked the sisters as they walked up to him.  
  
"Sunrise," Padme answered simply. Khariya laughed at Anakin's surprised face.  
  
"What? You mean I have to stay awake ALL night?" Anakin almost whined. "Why didn't anyone tell me? I could have slept!"  
  
"You never asked before now," Khariya answered laughing. The youngest Naberrie sisters walked into the boat. Anakin just fumed outside the door keeping a cup of caffeine keeping himself awake.  
  
The first few hours were uneventful except for a few animals that brought all the women left awake out and cooing. Suddenly, Anakin felt his senses prick up in danger. He looked up and put his hand on his saber ready for anything but he saw nothing but darkness and the quiet waters couldn't hide the smallest of foreign sounds. Almost reluctantly he relaxed and sat back down but then he heard a footstep on the top deck of the boat. This time Anakin jumped up and was in full alert. The snap and hiss of his sabre woke up the other guards that was suppose to be awake anyways.  
  
Anakin flipped himself onto the very top level, his green sabre swishing behind him and illuminating the surroundings for another few seconds and everything was dark again and the rushing waters of the boat around him.  
  
"What is it Anakin?" a guard Anakin didn't seem to like much named Obener, asked.  
  
"I don't know," Anakin hissed. He could barely see a shadow ahead of him silhouetted in the mist.  
  
"I didn't hear anything, Anakin. You sure it wasn't an animal," Obener pushed wanting to go back to sleep.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't have heard anything. You were dead asleep," Anakin snapped. "But I see it..." The fog seemed to lift and he could see the form in front of him. It seemed so familiar to him. The man in a black mask, and black cape seemed to hypnotize him and the black caped man revealed his saber. "You're a Jedi?" The man, or machine because of the heavy artificial breathing he could hear, nodded and activated his saber. It was red. The sign of a Sith. Anakin jumped back and ignited his own. "Who are you?" Anakin spat.  
  
"I am inside you. The being you try so hard to supress. Let me out, Anakin. Let me out," the artificial voice called. Anakin repulsed by what he heard slashed into the air trying to destroy the caped man but suddenly he was woken up awake by Khariya. He could feel the sweat heavy on him and his breathing just as labored as the stranger's.  
  
"What happened?" Khariya asked, concerned.  
  
"Nothing," he said standing up. "Why'd you wake me?" He rubbed his eyes trying to clear his vision.  
  
"We've arrived," Khariya announced, grinning. "You'll have to take Padme to the shore." Anakin's eyes cleared and suddenly he could see clearly.  
  
"Wow," he murmured as he saw Khariya before him in her dark blue dress that was backless and strapless.  
  
"If that's you're reaction to me, then wait till you see your girlfriend," Khariya teased.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend," Anakin snapped.  
  
"Uh huh, and this whole galaxy is a holovid that some guy who only wears denim and flannel made up," Khariya laughed skeptically. She walked away to the harbor and stepped up by herself and frowned at two men who tried to lend their hand to help her.  
  
"Goodness, you people act like I can't walk by myself," Anakin heard her. He turned and saw Padme in her dress that almost directly reflected the colors in the sky behind her and every other thought was forgotten.  
  
It had been almost an hour since Khariya left the two love birds alone so she went to the terrace and looked at Padme and Anakin closer than she would have wanted them to be. He could just faintly hear Anakin and Padme talking about how she was little and how Anakin hated sand. Then he touched her shoulder and Khariya's heart felt like it was being danced on with spikes.  
  
Within a few seconds their heads tilted together and they kissed. Before it ended, Khariya ran in tears and in pain.  
  
Yea well that's it and I'll return to this when I return to California. I'm going on vaction to New York tomorrow the nineteenth and won't be back till next Sunday so I won't be updating till next Monday but I promise there will be an update because I already have them written up and ready to be uploaded. I just want to hold off so that I don't run out of chapters and I could buy myself time! so yea that's my strtegy. :) Well thanks a whole mess. Please review. Thanks soooo much. 


	4. Chapter 4

Well, I'm back and I just couldn't wait to upload for some reason. I'm back from New York which let me tell you is really cool place. I had like five celebrity sitings though unfortunately, Hayden was not in that list. Major boohoo. Otherwise, here is the next chapter. And note to MoonRider who asked in my reviews who Anakin will end up with read this chapter then my note at the end.   
  
Chapter 4: Compassion  
  
  
Khariya was already in bed. Having been spending her time rowing a boat all day had tired her out. She spent the day crying and alone on a boat in the middle of the lake thinking of her confusing feelings. Just thinking about Anakin and Padmè alone on the meadows. If only she could switch places with Padmè… How happy she could make Anakin never denying him anything he wanted and needed. If only he had loved her not Padmè. Life would have been so much easier. The whole day she silently cried. Padmè denied any feelings that she was harboring for Anakin. If that were true then why had neither of them invite her to the meadow picnic with them?  
  
Just as Khariya was about to fall asleep, she heard Anakin's door slam and angry stomps next door.  
  
"Anakin," she whispered. She jumped out of bed and slipped on a thin silk robe. She stood at the door in hesitation. She could feel his anger through the wood wall and feel the heat radiating from it. She slowly opened the door and saw him. She nearly choked in his appearance.  
  
If there were any doubt that in Khariya's mind that Anakin wasn't perfect it was all gone now. The moonlight danced at every turn and curve of his body. His muscles were so well defined under his tunic and his hair so absolutely sexy as it blew through the wind. And damn his eyes… Truth be told he was too good looking for his own well being… But Khariya regained composure and started to walk to him on the balcony.  
  
"Ani?" she called softly.  
  
"Leave, Khariya," he snapped.  
  
"What's wrong Ani?" she persisted bravely standing near him though she could see that any aggravation in arm's distance could be attacked with the way his whole body was tense.  
  
"I said, leave," he growled menacingly.  
  
"Not until you tell me what's wrong." She walked in front of him, her arms crossed and determined.  
  
"No. Now leave." He walked forward to the balcony pushing Khariya to the side with his shoulder but she only came back. "Khariya please… I just need to be alone."  
  
"No one needs to be alone, Ani," she answered wisely. "I'm going to make you tell me anyways."  
  
"Why?" he said frustrated. "It doesn't even really matter. I'm to be a Jedi. That means that I don't feel this. I'm above feeling."  
  
"You're human are you not?" Khariya said patiently.  
  
"That has nothing to do with this."  
  
"Humans feel."  
  
"I'm one that doesn't."  
  
"Well, I do and may my makers know…" she trailed off. Anakin felt the emotion behind her voice but his anger restrained him from using the Force to pinpoint exactly. He looked at her and saw she was shaking from… cold? He didn't know. "Whatever you maybe feeling at this moment, If it were to make you happier, Make you be what you want tp be… a Jedi, then I would take all the pain and suffering from you. You're one of my best friends Anakin and that serves for enough reason for me to be compassionate toward you. That's what I have Anakin. Compassion." Anakin felt guilty and hypocritical. Only days before he had told Padmè that he considered compassion as unconditional love. Now Khariya was proclaiming him the object of compassion. In other words, unconditional love.  
  
"Come inside with me Khariya," Anakin said putting his hand on her back and ushering her into the room. He heard her teeth chatter and covered her with a blanket when they sat down on his large bed.   
  
"What happened?" Khariya asked feeling herself warm up to more than just the blanket. She felt Anakin using the Force to send warm shiver down her spine and she just smiled at him knowingly.   
  
"It was this whole day…" he started beginning with the short kiss he and Padmè had shared that morning, the picnic at the meadows, dinner and ended when he finally confessed that he had feelings for her. By the end, Anakin had tears in his eyes angrily cursing the universe for making the two things he wanted in life incompatible.  
  
"Oh, Ani," she consoled. "I'm sorry…" She slipped out of her blanket and embraced the sad man into her arms. She put his sobbing head in the curve of her neck and shoulders and felt hot tears and muffled sobs. Khariya now knew that she truly did love Anakin for she was about to push him away from her to a decision that would leave her miserable for the rest of her life but leave Anakin happy beyond her wildest dreams. That was all she wanted now. For Anakin to be happy. Knowing she might as well kill herself right then she said her solution. "There's a way, Ani," she whispered tears in her eyes, knowing she'd never have him after this. "But you must be patient." Anakin looked at her confused.   
  
"I can be patient," Anakin said in a voice of a small child. He saw that she was crying as well. Her thoughts were still guarded so he didn't know why it was taking so much from Khariya to say what she was saying.  
  
"Before this is over, I promise you, Padmè will give in to what she feels," Khariya said, firmly, softly wiping the tears from his face.   
  
"You don't know that…" Anakin said sadly.   
  
"Trust me Ani." Her fingers were now tracing his face. "And when this IS over, you'll be together. The only thing you have to do is let it take it's path. You can't hurry these things, Anakin," she sobbed looking at him miserably.  
  
"Now tell me what's wrong with you," Anakin demanded. Ever since I told you my problems you've been crying." Realizing that her sobs were a bit harder now, she controlled herself and stood up and away from Anakin.  
  
"I'm fine Ani. I just… I wish things didn't have to be this way with you," she answered. Anakin knew that she was telling the truth but not the whole of it. "Do you want a distraction?" she asked suddenly, wiping herself dry. Anakin nodded. "Follow me then," she smiled. Khariya took his hand and led them out. "It's our last night together Ani. I'll make it our best." She thought.  
  
Well... I'm trying to give myself a challenge on already having a specific ending and a specific plot and I started this as a story that would follow the AOTC plot *being that I'm also a huge Ani/Ami fan though my fics won't be Ani/Ami. read my bio for the explanation for that* but at this moment i'm sort of still deciding who will end up with whom. So just keep reading please. I'll try to get this story as best as I can.  
  
Be a responsible reader.  
Please read and review. :) 


	5. Chapter 5

centerChapter 5: Distractions, Premonitions and Suicidal Tendencies/center  
  
  
"Khariya where are you taking me?" Anakin asked as they went through the older walls of the castle.  
  
"When I was a kid, I decided to walk every hall in this palace," she grinned, realizing he had not left her hand though he was now walking beside her. "Of course I'm still trying to do that, considering the size of this place, but I fell into this one hall. Every room was a holodeck. Knowing our technology I thought it was just some crappy holograph that has the most limited archive but it's something completely more. You just have to see it for yourself." They stopped at one door that looked so old that he thought even C3PO could have broken it. "Looks can be deceiving," smirked Hhariya. They went in and they found themselves in a bare metal room. "Hello Holo!" Khariya yelled.  
  
"Hello, Khariya," a female voice answered. A snake camera popped out of the wall and floated in front of them. "It has been a long time. "And who is this? No wait!" The camera seemed like a head of a person, floating backward as if surprised then returning forward as if regaining composure. "Is this the ever popular…"  
  
"Holo please refrain from any references to the holograph request history archive?" Khariya said smiling secretively. Anakin didn't need the Force to figure that one out. It seemed that he was the most requested holograph.   
  
"How'd they get my holograph?" Anakin asked confused.   
  
"That's exactly my point. Any thing you want to have it will have to make a holograph of. Past, present AND future. And everything in here seems so real. Let me show you." She turned to the camera. "Holo?"  
  
"Yes, Khariya?"  
  
"Holograph setting: Pine forest clearing next to lake. Weather: Rainstorm. Activate all senses and deactivate default Extra life form settings. Actually while you're at it, erase ALL default life form settings. Let it only be activated manually," she ordered.  
  
The camera disappeared and the female voice echoed through the walls. "Holograph starting in 3, 2." Khariya gripped his hand and smiled assuring. "1" Anakin felt something rush through him and a wave of new feeling came to him. He felt a raindrop. Then another and another... Suddenly it was a storm. He looked around and saw that they were in forest clearing. The pine smell reached his nose and he sighed in relief. There was cold air around him. On one side was a lake, shining under the full moon, crashing with the wind. He could feel himself soaked.   
  
"Khariya!" he called.   
  
"Right here!" she answered. She was at the shore of the lake laughing and dancing in the rain. "Isn't this just awesome?" She ran up to him and held both his hands in hers.  
  
"Khariya, I'm going to kill you," he joked. "I'm soaking wet…" He was enjoying himself in the rain.  
  
"No you're not…" She grinned. "Holo, pause hologram." Suddenly everything was gone. Anakin looked around bewildered. His clothes were completely dry along with Khariya's own silks. There were no puddles… No traces of the pine trees or the lakes that he was sure were there a moment ago.   
  
"What in Sithspit?" Anakin exclaimed. "That has to be he most advanced holograph in all of the galaxy! Why haven't you told anyone about this?"  
  
"Because no one can catch up to this technology. If they were to dismantle it they would get nothing from it. It evolves Anakin. So no matter how much closer we get to the technology that it is now… It'll still be ahead because it evolved like a life form itself," she explained. "I looked through its history data. It was placed here by an alien race long gone. It's mine… ours now."   
  
"And you told no one else about this place but me?" Anakin asked completely flattered. Khariya shrugged.   
"Not even Padmè knows?" She shook her head. "How come you told me?" Khariya looked away trying to figure out a way to tell him that she had no reason to live anymore with him gone so she wanted someone to take care of Holo when she died. Anakin caught a drift of her thoughts saying she was leaving forever. "You're not going anywhere are you?" Anakin asked suspiciously.  
  
"Of course not," she lied. "I… I just thought you were special enough to me to share this with. Padmè has enough secrets being the Galactic Senator and all. I wanted to know something SHE didn't know anything about. Okay… It's simple enough. I'll just leave you here and let you do your thing. I'll be in the next holodeck Kay?" She stepped out of the door adjoining to the next door.   
  
The moment she was out of his sight she turned on her favorite holodeck for what she thought to be her last time. The holograph was a picnic by the waterfalls… wine… blanket… sun and breeze and… Anakin.  
  
  
Anakin stood there for a second thinking about what he had in his hands. He could see anything at anytime at anyplace. It was truly amazing. "Any time frame huh?" He thought for a second. "Padmè Naberrie in one week." A hologram of Padmè appeared before him and her appearance surprised Anakin. She was wearing black but it wasn't one of her beautiful, intricately designed ones. It was plain… almost sad. And she was… crying?   
"Someone dies a week from now," he realized. His thoughts became crazy. "Who dies?" He searched his thoughts. "Anakin Skywalker. Same timeframe." Now he saw himself seated alone on Khariya's balcony. He was in black and his face was tear-stained. "Someone close to both me AND Padmè. Otherwise both of us wouldn't be crying. But the only other person I know that we'd be both mourning for is… "Khariya," he thought fearfully. "Khariya Naberrie. Same timeframe." Then the words that cut through his heart came.  
  
"There are no records of Khariya Naberrie in that timeframe," Holo said. Anakin thought it had to be a mistake. Khariya wasn't in any danger. She wasn't sick. Why would she be dead?  
  
"Last records then. And state description," Anakin ordered.   
  
"Khariya Naberrie. Age: 18 years, 3 months and two days. Timeframe: 3:22 am tomorrow morning," Holo said. A holograph came on. It was Khariya bent over on her bed in the same robe that she had on in that moment. At first it looked like she had just fallen asleep on the side of her bed. Then Anakin looked at her bed closer. Her bed was normally a beige color. Underneath her limp body was…  
  
"Blood, " he said softly. *And to on the floor a thrown was a used and bloody knife. He recognized it as one of the knives that hung outside the halls. Panicked, he barged into the room next door. Anakin caught her lying down on a blanket with a man lying next to her. The tall grass that surrounded them covered their faces. "Khariya?"  
  
"Holo OFF!" she yelled, standing up. She turned around and faced Anakin flushed. "Ani? What are YOU doing here?" Anakin was speechless for a moment. His determination to keep her alive suddenly surged through him when he saw her before him. "Anakin? What's wrong this time?" She stepped up to him and held his hands in hers.  
  
"We have to go…" Anakin finally murmured. He pulled her out the door and Khariya spotted herself in the next room dead the way she had planned to kill herself moments before. Pretending she didn't see it, she turned to Anakin.  
  
"What did you see Ani?" she asked softly seeing the fear in his eyes.  
  
"Is what I see in there real?" Anakin asked almost running through the halls remembering he was also suppose to be watching Padmè as well.   
  
"It depends. Past and Present is set in stone. Future is a little shaky. It's based on the thought patterns that people are having at that moment," Khariya answered. She heard his sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank goodness," he muttered. They had reached his room and Anakin pulled her in there.  
  
"What did you see Anakin?" she asked blocking his way to go anywhere, staring him in the eyes. "Tell me."  
  
"I…" he stuttered. "I saw that you had died in your room tonight. Someone stabbed you." Khariya turned away in shame. He was so worried about her safety that it was beyond flattering. And here she was planning the death he had seen.   
  
"Oh…" She sat on his bed and looked down. Anakin was confused by her reaction but he had to move. For all he knew the killer could already be in the castle. He was too scared for her safety to even think about using the Force to sense any strange or evil presence. He was about to alert the guards to search the grounds but Khariya stopped him. "There's no one here, Anakin."   
  
"I… I saw you die, Khariya." Anakin said. "There has to be someone here out to kill you." Then he saw her tears. He felt her remove her guard on her thoughts and everything came into place. Her memories of going on the holodeck to see his face again… Her feelings when he came back into her life only to love her sister… Her plans to commit suicide when she was sure that she completely pushed him away… She sat silently on the bed thinking about everything because he knew she was reading her thoughts.  
  
"No one's here to kill me Anakin," Khariya clarified. "Now you know…"Anakin tried to touch her tear stained face but she pushed away his hand. "Don't Ani." She stood up and started to walk to her room but Anakin put his arms around her waist and pushed her on the bed.  
  
"You're sleeping here tonight," he ordered. "No questions asked and no protests."   
  
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be in bed with Padmè?" she asked callously. Anakin looked at her with a pained look on his face.   
  
"That was cold, Khariya…" he said hurt. Khariya looked away.  
  
"Sorry," she muttered taking off her white robe revealing her blue strap silk nightgown. Anakin could tell it was especially made for her because the contrast of the blue gown to her black hair was the exact same contrast that you could see in her eyes. Anakin gulped taking in what he saw. It made him wonder, "Did he fall in love with the right girl?" As he watched her slip into his bed, she said "Coming Anakin?" She was under the covers and turned away from him. "Just take off your damn tunic vest. That thing is stiff and uncomfortable. I'm going to leave to my bedroom otherwise." Anakin nodded failing to remember that she wasn't looking at him. He slipped off his black vest and then realized that his white shirt was soaked with sweat so he slipped that off as well. His mind was clouded with his newfound information and he had forgotten that she was in bed until she surprised him by snuggling against his bare chest.  
  
Anakin guessed that Khariya's mind was already clouded with sleep because she whispered, "You're skin's so soft and warm, Ani." Her hand traced down his chest and pulling him closer to her. Anakin could tell that she had become more relaxed right then than any other time since he'd come back. A sincere smile crossed her face as she dreamt of being in the same position as she was in reality. A question repeated in his mind. Using the last of his strength, he looked at the candles burning. With a twist of his hand, he used the Force to blow them all out. Even before the darkness could reach his face, Anakin was fast asleep.  
  
Read and Review Kay? I'll be happy and I'll write, Then you'll be happy because I updated. All in all the world is good and all you did was review. Thanks lots,  
  
TRicia 


	6. Chapter 6

Okai. so it's been awhile but I've learned that viruses suck big time! Okaiz? Just please bear with me and I'll update. Thanks luve you all! Bye!  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: Let Me Forget  
  
Anakin woke up the bright sunshine shining through his balcony window. He smiled to himself. It was the first night in a VERY long time that he hasn't had a nightmare about his mother. He felt refreshed and brand new. Then suddenly he remembered last night. His happy mood vanished and a sense of frustration and confusion washed over him. Why did she have to feel this way? Why did she have to hide everything? Why couldn't she have been someone that he wasn't so close to him as to make it easier for him to love Padmè in peace? Now he couldn't because Khariya was so special to him. He couldn't just ignore the fact that she had fallen in love with him and he knew it was love. How could she have pushed him and Padmè together so many times without having the reason that she loved him so much that she didn't care if she were hurt as long as he was happy?  
  
"Khariya, why'd you do this?" he muttered, his eyes closed.  
  
"I didn't know I had a choice," Khariya said. She was already dressed, long before anyone else in the palace. In fact, she had woken early enough to go to the Holo Hall, as called it, several times to think things through. Enough times to decide that events last night were better off forgotten. Her first decision was right. Khariya had to let her emotions go overlooked. "Breakfast is ready, sir." She slightly bowed, not looking him in the eye. Anakin stared at her for a moment.  
  
"Did you just call me sir?" Anakin choked out sitting up.  
  
"Just come down to dining room when you're dressed," she continued ignoring the question. It seemed that Khariya was also planning on forgetting their friendship. Feeling this, Anakin felt disappointed. This was what he was afraid of: Love that destroyed what caused the love in the first place. Khariya gathered up her lavender skirt and walked out the door. Anakin collapsed back sown and just sighed.  
  
Breakfast was tense. Padmè had no idea what happened last night but it was obvious that there were events she missed. She had noticed the unusual silence at the table. The usual placement of the three people there were usually Padmè at the head of the table, Anakin on her left and Khariya directly to her right. Padmè and Anakin were in their regular seats but Khariya awkwardly sat two seats down and away from the two. Padmè could also see the frustration in Anakin's face and the stubbornness in her sister's.  
  
"Why weren't you at dinner last night?" Padmè asked Khariya.  
  
"I had gone rowing to the middle of the lake. I was tired after rowing by myself and was too exhausted for dinner. I went to bed right after I got home," Khariya answered in a monotone voice slicing her fruit. She didn't even look up.  
  
"Sabè said that you were gone the whole day," Padmè said.  
  
"I was."  
  
"Just out on the boat. on your own?"  
  
"I had a lot to think about, Amidala," and Padmè took that as a sign to not ask more questions about her day on the lake. Being called Amidala was Khariya's secret code saying, 'do not ask anymore questions about this subject.'  
  
"Did you sleep well, Anakin?" Padmè asked, looking at her bodyguard.  
  
"Yes, I did. For the first time in a month I slept without nightmares for some reason," Anakin answered. Khariya let herself a smile. She had made him if at the least a bit happier. He slept without nightmares last night. The only difference from last night and all other nights was that she was there next to him.  
  
"Khariya, Anakin why don't you spend the day together?" Padmè suggested. "I'll be in a private conference with one of advisors all day today. Anakin you're not allowed in that meeting so you cannot come with me."  
  
"But, m' lady," Anakin protested.  
  
"No, Anakin. This is my business. I will be safe with my advisor. He is one of my most trusted men. He will do no harm and the doors can only be opened through a retinal scan," Padmè explained. "You and Khariya can go some place together. You need time alone and a day off. Khariya can show you the island across the lake."  
  
"I'm sure your Jedi has more better things to do than have a tour of a forsaken island." Khariya tried to get away from the suggestion.  
  
"No I actually don't," Anakin replied, somewhat peeved that she wouldn't call him by name.  
  
"Are you sure? Can't you talk to Master Obi Wan or practice your skills in the gym today?" her voice turning icy and annoyed. "Don't make me do this, Jedi," she thought silently letting it float out of her mind and into Anakin's.  
  
"No. I think I'd like to take a day off," he said smugly though he received her thought loud and clear. Padmè could feel the glare that Khariya was releasing to Anakin and now she was sure something had happened between them. Fed up with the tense atmosphere that somehow both excluded and included her she noisily dropped her silverware and confronted them.  
  
"What happened last night?" Padmè demanded. She was answered by the most unpredicted answer from her sister in the most iniquitous tone.  
  
"Amidala, your Jedi and my affairs are to be kept between us and I would be most appreciative if you kept your diplomatic talents and negotiations out of them. Now if you'll excuse I'll be in my room. If you still feel you want to take that trip across the lake just call me. I have no further protests to it," Khariya answered in a voice so malevolent that everyone in the room was stunned silent with her tone. Padmè turned to Anakin in shock.  
  
"Was that really my sister?" Padmè said softly. She went unheard because Anakin was in deep thought staring at his food with anger.  
  
"Damn it," he cursed. He threw down his napkin and stormed off after Khariya.  
  
Be a responsible Reader! Read And Review! 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: In Come Another  
  
Khariya tried to walk as fast as she could to the stairs.  
  
"Why are the stairs so far away?" Khariya muttered to herself. In her thoughts, she didn't notice another man in front of her. Before he realized that he wasn't looking himself, she crashed into him almost falling but he suddenly gripped her shoulders and pushed her onto him.  
  
"Uh. Hello," the man said surprised. Khariya was about to frown but figured that the guest didn't deserve to be in the line of fire.  
  
"Hello. Who are you?" she smiled. She had to admit he was actually very handsome. Him and his tousled brown hair and green eyes.  
  
"Marco Alteri. From Spica." He grinned and realized that he still had her pressed to him. He let her step back but only to just let his hand travel to her hand and kiss it. "And whom do I have the pleasure of bumping into in this beautiful day?"  
  
"I kind of wouldn't call this a beautiful day." she muttered.  
  
"Compared to you maybe." Marco flirted. Anakin stepped into the grand foyer seeing Khariya's hand being held by the stranger. He also noticed that she was blushing furiously and seemed to forget everything around her. For a second he felt jealousy.  
  
"She's supposed to be that way with me. Not with this loser," he thought, infuriated. He then shook his head and stomped his way toward the two.  
  
"Khariya, I need to talk to you," he called behind her but her attention was fully onto the stranger's eyes. He probed Khariya's mind trying to get a bit of her thought to him. What he read made him widen his eyes in surprise.  
  
"Goodness this man's cute. But wait I'm in love with Anakin. Wait, Anakin? Who's Anakin? The guy that just blew you off for your sister? You're really in love with him when a perfectly handsome man whose attention is all to you and nobody else's? Think about that Khariya," she thought arguing with herself but her thought subsided again and went back to the man holding her hand.  
  
"I'm Khariya Naberrie, the youngest daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie," she said in her formal voice but with her smile the tone almost became somewhat playful and Anakin was furious by the fact that he wasn't the object of its want.  
  
"What am I thinking? I couldn't possibly be thinking about Khariya this way." he thought.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you, m'lady," Marco replied. Anakin half thought that Khariya would laugh when the man said m'lady but her smile just softened more and her eyes grew more intense as he stared into his. Anakin finally had enough of it.  
  
"You will do to what you came to do in Naboo," Anakin said with a subtle twist of his hand.  
  
"I will do what I've come to do in Naboo," Marco said in a dull voice. He dropped the surprised Khariya's hand and walked away toward the Conference Chambers.  
  
"Anakin Skywalker," Khariya hissed. "What in Sithspit do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Watch your language and what do you think YOU are doing?" Anakin glared, grabbing a hold of her arm. Khariya tried to twist it away but knew it was a vain attempt against the Chosen One.  
  
"I am doing what every normal eighteen year old girl does: FLIRT!" she snapped, still trying to twist away her arm. "Now let go!"  
  
"You know I won't let you go so stop trying Khariya," he answered. "And you were not flirting. You were throwing yourself at that stranger. And he looked ready to just slam you onto the nearest table because YOU looked like you'd let him."  
  
  
  
"Please, Jedi. You might not be able to get the one you're attracted to think of you that way but don't let me suffer from it when I can," she cried out. Khariya couldn't believe that the comment actually came out of her mouth and it surprised her that she didn't want to take it back. Anakin couldn't either and it triggered the largest surge of anger in him. In a blink of an eye, his hand swept across Khariya's face leaving an inevitable red print. With all of her strength she bent her arm away and finally released her hand from his grip. Her chest was breathing up and down and Anakin thought that had she the power to kill with looks he'd be beyond dead. "Congratulations, Jedi. You've now hurt me in everyway possible." She grabbed a knife and stuck it to his hand. "I feel like dying again because of you and you have come to the closest to putting a knife to my throat without actually doing so." She put the knife blade to her neck with Anakin holding the handle. "Would you like to do the honors?" Anakin was too startled that he hit her that he only let her guide his hands to her neck. Once he actually grew aware of what she was doing he paled fainted. Unfortunately, so did Padmè.  
  
"Anakin!" Padmè shrieked running to Khariya's side. She pushed Anakin back and started to examine her face. "Khariya, your cheek is bruised. and the knife nicked you." She turned malevolently to Anakin. "What have you been doing to my sister?!? Are you why she's been acting diffrently these last few days? Have you been hurting because I swear before you now if you've been hurting her I will use all the power vested in me to kill you myself with my bare hands." Padmè was so livid that Anakin was actually afraid. Both of thses sisters had the glares that could blow away all of the universe. All they needed was Sola and they could probably rule the Universe together. Khariya, knowing of Padmè's rage, came reluctantly to Anakin's rescue.  
  
"Come, Padmè," Khariya said softly leading Padmè away to the bed chambers upstairs.  
  
"What has he been doing to you Khariya?" Padmè demanded once in Padmè's room.  
  
"Padmè." Khariya started. "I wish I could say. There's too much going on at the moment. I can't tell you until it's over. I'm sorry." Padmè looked hurt that Khariya wouldn't tell her the circumstances between her and Anakin.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it's not yet over. When it is, then, I'll be here to tell you but now. I have to go back home."  
  
"But why? Has he hurt you?" Khariya touched her purple cheek and nodded silently.  
  
"Just not the way you think," she answered softly. "Please, don't try to retaliate. It's not your place to do so. Just please, Padmè let me leave. It was a mistake for me to have come. Complications were inevitable." Khariya turned to leave for her room and Padmè didn't know what to say to stop her. She didn't even know what was going on.  
  
"Stay one more night? Please?" Padmè resuested. "For me? We'll spend today together. Just us. We'll go over to the island. No meetings. Nothing."  
  
"How about Anakin? Won't he be coming with us for you?" Khariya asked.  
  
"He'll stay behind us. He'll watch us but keep away at the same time, okay?" Khariya nodded.  
  
"We'll go."  
  
"It'll take about half an hour to cancel everything all right?" Padmè asked her younger sister. Khariya nodded again. Finally Khariya made it out to the door way but was stopped by Anakin this time safely putting his arms around her waist and pushing her to his chest. It was the only way not to hurt her again.  
  
"Khariya, are you all right?" Anakin asked softly touching her cheek. Khariya was too tired already to push against him but she noticed how close his face was to hers.  
  
"Anakin, let me go," she whispered softly, using all her self-control to not give in to soft touch.  
  
"Not until you tell me you're all right and that you forgive me for hurting you," Anakin replied.  
  
"I'm all right and I forgive you but nw I have to pack," Khariya said untangling herself from Anakin's hands.  
  
"Pack? Why?" Anakin asked surprised.  
  
"I have to leave. I feel like I'm in more danger in being hurt here than in the hands of Sith Lords. I'm going back to the palace and I'll stay there. Leave you and Padmè alone. I leave tomorrow," Khariya answered. She walked back to her room but Anakin followed her in.  
  
"What if I tell you that I might have fallen in love with the wrong Naberrie?" Anakin prodded.  
  
"Then, I'd say you were too late and that Sola is already married with two daughters."  
  
"You know what I mean Khariya."  
  
"You're only saying that because I let you sleep peacefully last night and that you're flattered that I shared Holo with you." Anakin, angry that she wouldn't take him seriously, grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her roughly. Khariya was taken by surprise and for a moment responded to the slant of his mouth and the feel of his tongue but she pushed him away.  
  
"Khari."  
  
"No Anakin. Don't try to fool yourself. You're in love with Padmè Amidala Naberrie. Not Danè Khariya Naberrie. Get it right." She stepped away from him and opened his path to the door. "Now please leave. I have to pack and get ready for my day with Padmè." Khariya stood before him stone faced, standing up to the pained look on Anakin's face.  
  
"Listen to me," he stuttered.  
  
"I did that last night," she snapped.  
  
"No one has actually got me to admit I was wrong. No one in this world. Not Palapatine, Not Qui Gon, Not Obi Wan, Not even Yoda. My pride is my weakness, Khariya. If that has to be torn down for me to get to you then so be it," Anakin said fiercely standing over her again.  
  
"Go," she hissed, pointing his way out and staring into his hard blue eyes. Oh goodness. His eyes. Don't let me give in, my Maker. Please not now. Khariya felt her knees start to buckle as his intense stare bore into hers. That's it! His eyes are much too powerful, she thought as she was about to collapse onto him but he looked away and started to stomp down the halls to the training room. Khariya crumpled to the floor, in exhaustion. No more. I can't take this anymore. 


	8. Chapter 8

Wow. been awhile hasn't it? Yea well with computer crashes, high school, crushes and everything else in this life, I've been busy. I'm really sorry and I hope ya'll can forgive me because here is a nice good update. I hope when I'm done I'll have Chapter eight *this one*, nine and ten done and over with. Truth be told I've already have my way to end it ( and I know how I can make a sequel. Lolz. All this from watching Attack of The Clones on DVD... a couple of. dozen of times (  
  
Chapter eight:  
  
"Oh My Maker, help me. Who is THAT?" Sabé gasped looking out into the lake where she and Khariya could barely make out the outline of Marco's body. "Perfect. I see nothing but perfect. Who is that? Khariya."  
  
"Oh, are you taking about Marco?" Khariya said innocently. She stood with Sabé by a boat waiting for Padmé to come with them to the island nearby. She could see Anakin by the boat waiting for the three women and watching her and Sabé carefully. "I met him this morning." Khariya saw a look of contempt cross Anakin's face.  
  
"You did? What's he doing here?" Sabé asked her eyes lighting up. "C'mon tell me please!"  
  
"He's a trader. from the Spica System. I would have more but Anakin sort of distracted me." Khariya said frowning.  
  
"OoooOO. What's the story between you and the Jedi, Khariya? I mean it must've been something for you to actually be distracted from THAT." Sabé laughed gesturing to the Spican.  
  
"Nothing is going on between me and Anakin," Khariya snapped. "There's more going on between my sister and Anakin than there is anything between us."  
  
"That's not what I heard Lady Dané," Sabé laughed. "From rumors floating around it seems that we have a Peeping Jedi in our hands."  
  
"Just what are you talking about?"  
  
"Last night, as you were bathing, some servants saw Anakin at your door. They said that for a few minutes he stood there just watching your door, grinning. Hahahaha!" Khariya blushed furiously.  
  
"Well. Well... Maybe he remembered something funny!" Khariya said angrily in a futile attempt to get Sabé to stop laughing so much. Suddenly, she felt a surge of emotion in her mind.  
  
"I wasn't peeping, Khariya. I hope you know that," a voice in her head said. Khariya turned and saw Anakin leaning on the railing, staring into space as if absorbing the beautiful view but Khariya knew better. He was using the Force to communicate with her.  
  
"Is that right? Then why were you just at my door, not bothering to knock, and grinning?"  
  
"You said it yourself. I remembered something funny." He turned to look at her and gave her a grin that Khariya had to make herself glare at. She said it before, she'd say it again. The boy was too good looking for his own well-being. With that thought, Anakin's grew wider. Her blush turned redder and she spun to stare at Marco again.  
  
"Why don't you introduce me, Khariya?" Sabé suggested, forgetting the last bit of gossip she was laughing about.  
  
"Introduce you to whom, Sabé," Padmé asked. Khariya pointed lazily across the docks. "Oh my goodness, who is that??"  
  
"Marco," Khariya answered. "You know we should really go. I'm tired of just standing here." She was starting to get tired of just looking at Marco. Not that she didn't think that Marco was heavenly to look at because he was. She wasn't that shallow. She needed a little more than looks to be kept interested. She wanted someone adventurous, romantic and had some goal in their lives other than figuring out which box of TeeLee plums went to which planet and how much fish it was worth trading for. Just by looking at Marco, not to mention, a little sweep in his mind with the Force, she knew he wasn't it.  
  
"Okay, I guess Khariya is right." Padmé sighed. "I didn't clear up my whole day to watch a man unload a boat. I want to spend it with my sister." Padmé smiled at Khariya and took her hand as they boarded the boat.  
  
It took about half an hour to reach the small island down the river. In the wait, Padmé and Sabé talked merrily about the latest fictional Holovids and the current gossip in politics and entertainment. Khariya on the other hand just sat there taking in the view and just seemed to meditate. What the others didn't know was that she was trying to distract herself from the unwavering stare that Anakin was giving her. and annoyingly enough, the gaze seemed to be accompanied with that increasingly irritating smirk of his.  
  
". Looks like Anakin is looking at you, Padmé." One of Sabé's comments penetrated through the fog that Khariya was building against reality.  
  
"What do you think of Anakin, Khari?" Sabé asked.  
  
"Cute but too stubborn for my taste," Khariya answered promptly.  
  
"Stubborn about what?" Sabé asked. Khariya looked away, uncomfortable. She didn't mean to say stubborn. And anyways, she could see that Padmé was curious as well.  
  
"I'm sorry, Padmé. I can't help what I feel. but I swear, I'll make Anakin feel for you the way you feel for him." Before she could answer, the pilot of the vessel announced that they had arrived at the island.  
  
"We're here!" Khariya exclaimed. She slipped off her high heeled shoes and ran off into a clearing. She spotted the hammock that she had put there years ago and lay down on it.  
  
"Khariya! Wait for us!" Padmé gasped, out of breath. For the first time that day, Khariya laughed.  
  
"Padmé, you need to get out of the Senate and get some exercise," Khariya giggled. She turned toward a rocky hill behind them and saw sparkle. "Those caves."  
  
"What about them?" Sabé joined them a little less breathless than Padmé. Khariya was staring strangely up at them. "Didn't you use to go up there when you were a kid?"  
  
"I did. but. I never remembered anything being able to reflect light up there."  
  
"What do you mean reflect?" Sabé asked. but it was too late. Khariya was disappearing between different between plants and shrubbery and she was heading toward the hills.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Khariya went though the snagging plants and grinned. It had been awhile that she had went up there and she wanted to know what was up there that made that sparkle. She fought through and found the old trail that she used to use as a child. Now it was just an old mud trail with overgrown weeds.  
  
She reached the caves and began to carefully walk into one of them. Suddenly a hand appeared from behind the boulders and clamped onto her mouth, pulling her into the darkness.  
I'm SORRIE I'm SORRIE I'm SORRIE I'm SORRIE! I know it's been a LONG while but I'm on vacation for a few weeks and I'll be alone for a few days a week in the house and I'll have the computer ALL for myself without anyone to fight for it. SO PLEase Very SOrrie for having to make people wait for such a long time. 


	9. Chapter 9

Okay! If anyone is still here at all, here's Chapter 9. I'm working really hard on getting this thing going. I really really need to gain some momentum on this story and I really want to concentrate on this. that's me saying I need to concentrate when I'm watching "Volcano" and getting distracted whilst just writing the introduction. Lolz yea well dats me. And anyways Tommy Lee Jones is done saving Los Angeles from a volcano now and I guess I'm good with concentrating thing now. Lmao

Chapter 9:

/ Last we Left off /

Khariya went though the snagging plants and grinned. It had been awhile that she had went up there and she wanted to know what was up there that made that sparkle. She fought through and found the old trail that she used to use as a child. Now it was just an old mud trail with overgrown weeds.

She reached the caves and began to carefully walk into one of them. Suddenly a hand appeared from behind the boulders and clamped onto her mouth, pulling her into the darkness.

/End Flashback/

Khariya struggled against the body that was pinned against her. Another hand grabbed both her wrists held them over her head. She tried to scream but his other hand had a firm grip against her jaw. All of a sudden, a familiar feeling went through her. Her whole body went limp with the feeling of complete paradise. Slowly and gradually, she could hear a voice.

"Shhh, Khari. It's just me," the voice whispered. She felt herself being carried deeper into the cave and heard the sound of a fire igniting. As quick as it came, the feeling disappeared and her grip on reality came back. Her vision cleared again and she saw Anakin leaning over her, caressing her face as she lay on the ground.

Anakin saw her eyes flutter open and instead of seeing relief that it was only him, her eyes grew afraid and she twisted away from him.

"Anakin, What are you doing??" she gasped. She stood up and retreated against the wall, leaving Anakin kneeling before her.

"Shhh, Khari. Please, come here." Anakin said soothingly offering his hand to her. "C'mon don't be scared." Khariya shook her head vigorously. "Khariya. Please." She couldn't seem to protect herself from the way Anakin looked at her. She could barely ignore his eyes on the way to the island. Slowly, she gave his hand to his and let him pull her down to her knees beside him.

"What are you doing, Ani?" she repeated. Anakin could barely stand seeing her afraid of him. She shouldn't have been afraid of him. He could never hurt her. Just looking at her, he knew he'd do anything to keep her from EVER being hurt by anyone.

"I needed to talk to you. and you've been avoiding me all day," Anakin said putting his hand cheek.

"There's nothing to talk about, Anakin. Please... Let me go," Khariya pleaded.

"No. there' so much to talk about and you have to listen to me."

"I give you a holodeck and someone to sleep with at night and now all of a sudden you just decide you're in love with me?! You know that that's not right. Padmé is the one you've been dreaming about for the past ten years. Padmé is the one whom you've been sent her to protect. It's Padmé you're suppose to be with. Not me."

"I told you already!" Anakin sighed in exasperation. "I don't care about Padmé. I mean I do! But I'm in love with you! The moment I saw you flirting with that trader who popped up out of nowhere, I realized it. I want YOU, Khariya. please, believe me."

All Khariya did was stare. Looking in his blue eyes, she knew that those were the words she'd been wanting to hear for so long. She was torn apart. She could be with Anakin and forever live happily ever after. But that couldn't possibly happen. Not with Padmé forever looking at them and ending up being hurt. She doesn't want Padmé hurt.

"What Padmé doesn't know won't hurt her," Anakin grinned, seeing the look in her eyes.

"But, what if she finds out, Ani? I couldn't live with myself if I hurt my sister," Khariya reasoned.

"What if you hurt me?" Anakin asked.

"I don't want that to happen either but..."

"Then be with me. If you don't want me to hurt. Khariya please!" Anakin begged. Without warning he leaned over and kissed Khariya. He leaned in until she was pinned the jagged walls kissing her with all the power he had. He slowly kissed his way down his neck and with each kiss begging her to take him. "I can make you happy, Khariya. I can give you ANYTHING. Even if you want to hide this from every person in this galaxy. Please. I just want to be with you." Anakin returned his lips to hers and felt her respond. "Okay?"

"Okay," Khariya sighed, giving in to Anakin. She could see his ecstatic smile as he heard her answer.

"Thank you, Khari. I'll make you happy. I swear. And I'll start right now," Anakin said mischievously pulling her down beneath him and kissing her with all the passion he had inside him.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:  
  
Padme looked around frustrated around her. She was suppose to be spending some time with her sister. Unfortunately, she couldn't find her. Sabe was suppose to keep her company but Marco had somehow found his way to them and now Sabe was busy flirting with him. What unnerved her was that Anakin... she couldn't find Anakin either.  
  
Her heart beat a little faster. Neither Khariya nor Anakin was to be found. Last she saw, Khariya headed up to the hills to find out about a light she saw. She also heard that Anakin had headed for the hills because he supposedly wanted to 'meditate'. Well it's been almost an hour since BOTH of them had gone... Now she's worried.  
  
"Where are they?" she muttered. "If they met up... and something happens... between them. I cannot believe I'm actually worried! So what if something happens between them? I'm not jealous!" She kicked at the sand wondering if that was the truth. "Maybe that's not so true." Suddenly she heard rustling in the trees. Beneath a jungle of gigantic a'hora leaves and Fipen flowers, Khariya stepped through her whole body rustled and untidy but her face seemed to be glowing.  
  
"Hey Padme," she laughed. "Sorry, I got lost." Anakin stepped up behind her with the same glow in his face. "Good thing Anakin found me." She looked at Anakin, who winked at her and fell to her knees laughing as if just their eye contact was some inside joke. He walked away, smiling.  
  
"ummm. Did I miss something?" Padme asked. "Last I saw, you and Anakin weren't on good terms." Khariya shrugged innocently but Padme could see that her eyes were hiding a secret.  
  
"I guess, forgive and forget," Khariya shrugged.   
  
"Wait... no what?!?" Padme cried out. "Don't tell me that. What happened up there that made the two of you fluent in eye contact language?" Padme was confused and frustrated.   
  
"Hey... calm down... we just... talked, I guess," Khariya shrugged. She stood up and looked uncomfortably around for any sign of a distration. She couldn't lie to Padme completely though she pretty much just did. "Padme, I'm sorry. Just... do you want to go the hammock and just talk?"  
  
"Fine," Padme murmured. Inside, she knew something a bit more physical than talking happened in the cover of the hills. It was written all over Khariya's face. "Do you like Anakin?" she asked as they sat down in the shade.  
  
"What?" Khariya answered, surprised. "Why would you... Did you... Can you see... Ummm... No, of course not."  
  
"Tell me the truth, Khariya." Padme coerced. Khariya looked at Padme straight in the eye. She was so guilty... No matter what Padme said, Khariya knew that Padme was in love with Anakin and that the only thing that stopped her from ever revealing that was her pride, her values and her sense of order and fear of not knowing if she could control her universe as well as she has had in the last twenty four years. She knew she shouldn't lie and she shouldn't be so selfish but...  
  
"I'm telling the truth, Padme." Padme smiled... She believed Khariya. Both sisters smiled and finally got to the conversation that was put off for the day for so long. An hour or two later, Obener came and called them to the boats.   
  
"It's time to leave, m'ladies," Obener announced. "We should leave now or else we won't be back till after supper." Khariya smiled and nodded to him.  
  
"All right, We're coming." Padme walked after him and Khariya walked a little bit after her. The sun was setting beneath the high mountains in mainland. In the shadows, a hand grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear.  
  
"Keep your bedroom window open tonight," Anakin whispered. His lips gently brushed her neck. Khariya gasped. Just a millisecond of his lips on her skin made her weak.   
  
"How does he do that?" she murmured as she watched him stride to the boat ahead of them. Padme turned.  
  
"Did you say something?" Padme asked. Khariya shook her head, furiously. "Then, come on." Khariya hurried after Padme with a bright smile. She couldn't wait till midnight.   
  
~~~Please read and review! :-) 


	11. Chapter 11 v2

Here's my new update. The only thing I kind of want to say is that, as you might have guessed from the last chapter is that there's going to be two versions to this chapter. One version, the one in ff.n is a cleaned up version that's safe for most eyes. Another version, which was the orginal version that i intended for this story before ff.n abolished all NC-17 stories. So here's the link to the not-so-innocent version. :-P  
  
http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/darkfadeddenim/strwrsfix/ioylm/11v1.html  
  
A little sidenote: uhhh I gotta give credit to my beloved friend Chloe Adeilade. She's sort of responsible for the original version. hehe. i'm still a pretty innocent mind! All smuttiness was her doing/writing!  
  
Chapter 11: v. 2  
  
Khariya looked cautiously over her food at Anakin. Ever since they've come back from the island, Anakin had a peculiar smile on even know as he talked with Padme. It was as if he was planning something devious and Khariya thought that he probably was especially with his last words on the island.   
  
//keep your window open//  
  
My goodness... I can only imagine what he meant by that, Khariya thought nervously picking at her dinner. She looked at Padme and felt a sharp pain at her chest. She couldn't possibly be any worse. Her sister! She was betraying her own blood! And for what? She was betraying her for a man! The man her sister is madly in love with no less. Mind you, Padme has been denying that she had anymore deeper feelings that friendship for Anakin but Khariya knew better than that. She knew all the secret emotions her sister hid. Padme, like every other emotion-capable being Khariya had come across, couldn't hide their feelings in their eyes.  
  
Anakin looked up and briefly caught Khariya staring at him from across the table. He grinned to himself. He was going to have one hell of a night if everything worked out according to plan. He continued on with his conversation with Padme and as far as he could tell Padme couldn't tell anything was going on.  
  
"... Well, ten years is a long time not to see someone, Anakin," Padme replied smiling when Anakin commented on how little they knew of each other. "Too long, in my book, when it comes to you." Khariya looked at her sister and "saw" herself stabbing her sister in the back.   
  
"Yes well..." Anakin wasn't the least bit put into discomfort by what Padme said and just thought, "Too late... I'm sorry but I found Khariya." He put down his fork and looked up, plaintively. "I think I want to go to bed."  
  
"I think I will too," Padme replied. She looked at Khariya. "How about you? Are you going to bed?" Khariya looked at Anakin, almost scared. Anakin could see the fear in her eyes again.  
  
"Don't worry, Khari. This night will go your way," he thought sending it to Khariya again via the Force. The comment slight reassured Khariya and she nodded silently to Padme before walking away to her own bedroom.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Nervous nervous nervous..." Khariya murmured as her hand rested on the lock of her window... "Why the heck did he say window anyways? He's frigging NEXT door! And why am I so nervous?!? When have I ever been nervous?!? Now's when.... Ergh... I can't do this..." Technically, the window was actually large doors that opened out to a patio that connected her and Anakin's room. She didn't dare look up because of the glass and she was afraid that seeing Anakin coming would just lose whatever courage she had managed to muster up. Suddenly, she felt the knob beneath the lock slowly twisting and she could hear his breath just ouside the door. She looked up and saw Anakin, his ice blue eyes twinkling at her as if stars.  
  
"Shhhhh..." Anakin whispered as he stepped inside and closed the wood and glass behind him. He took her hand away from the knob and just looked into her eyes, making sure that what they were about to do was alright with Khariya. Anakin put his arms around her and slanted his mouth on hers. Khariya's hands went around his neck and realized he was shirtless, holding a white tunic and his hand and dropping it, and that the only thing separating their bodies from the waist up was the thin, silk nightgown she had on. She suddenly looked away embarassed. New thoughts started to to come through her head...  
  
"What if he doesn't think I'm any good... What if... I mean... of course, looking the way he does... there has to be SOME experience under his belt to compare me to... under his belt... I wonder... What IS under his belt?..." Anakin's chuckle brought her back to reality as did his breath right on her lips as he leaned down to kiss her.  
  
"You want to see?" Anakin teased. Khariya looked horrified at Anakin's comment. "Khari... Hey!... I'm just kidding. Don't worry okay?" He put his arms around her and pulled her to her tiptoes to kiss her slowly and reassuringly. "Are you ready for this?" Anakin asked, slowly increasing their kiss, "Because if you're not, I can make myself stop."  
  
"You can?" Khariya laughed. "You sure?"  
  
"I can try," Anakin answered back. "But seriously, Khariya... I don't want to force you to anything..." Anakin stopped kissing her to show his solemn expression. Khariya looked into his eyes.  
  
"Do you love me?" Khariya whispered, her hand touching his cheek.  
  
"Yes, I love you," Anakin answered without hesitation.  
  
"Why me and not Padme?" Khariya asked.  
  
"Is that still bothering you?" Anakin asked, gently, and she nodded. He swept her off her feet and laid her down on the bed. A moment later, he joined her by her side looking at her. "I had an infatuation with your sister. A fixation because of what she' s done for me. Your sister is beautiful, powerful, talented and she'll always mean something to me because she played a part in my capturing freedom."  
  
"Please tell me there's a 'but' because if there's no 'but' then you might as well head out of here," Khariya interrupted, jokingly.  
  
"There IS a 'but'," Anakin laughed. "BUT... but you... I'm in love with you because you're beautiful, intelligent, you're not always so tense, and you're sensitive and funny, fun to be around, and... you're compassionate. I'm in love with YOU Dane Khariya Naberrie. Have no doubt of that." Khariya smiled.  
  
"Not anymore..." She pulled him over to her and kissed him, slowly, yet passionately, letting his tongue go invited into her mouth.   
  
After a few minutes, Khariya's initial doubt was cast off. In fact, she even reassured Anakin that it was all right because he saw the bruise on her cheek and realized he didn't want to hurt her again. But two lovers' first time together ended well exhausting both of them but satisfiying them as well.  
  
Khariya got off of Anakin and rested in his arms.  
  
"This was some day, wasn't it, Khariya?" Anakin sighed.  
  
"Yes it was... and it's the second night in the row I'm sleeping next to you..." she murmured. Anakin took a few moments to reply.  
  
"Khariya..."  
  
"yes?"  
  
"I love you..."  
  
"I love you too Anakin..."  
  
~~Finally! i finished this stupid chapter! it's like 1:23 in the morning so people!...Please read and review! I actually had to work to make two versions of this chapter so show me a lil criticism here. I was curious too... people didn't realize I accidentally called Anakin= Hayden = in the last chapter during the last few sentences. lolz weird mistake! I'll leave it up there for awhile because I'm too lazy too change it. 


	12. Chapter 12

Little note of forewarning... The lil snippet at the beginning of this chapter is mostly fine but it gets a little risqué but nothing TOO graphic. I make some implications and there's a point where you do know what's going on without a doubt but after 7 or 8 paragraphs it's pretty safe. Just wanted to warn you.  
  
Chapter 12:  
  
Khariya woke up in the middle of the night feeling a twinge bit uncomfortable. Not her position physically because Heaven only knows a better spot than sleeping with Anakin's arms around her but something was tugging at the back of her mind. She looked at the door and she realized that it was unlocked. She got out of bed and walked toward the doors to the lock them when she realized she could barely walk. She smiled to herself as the soreness in her muscles began to make their selves known. As she made her way back to bed, she heard Anakin shuffling around the sheets.  
  
"No... mom..." he cried out, suddenly snapping his eyes open with labored breaths. She saw him look around the bed to look for her and sat up in fear when he couldn't find her in the darkness. "Khariya, where are you?" Khariya shuffled her way to him and was surprised when she felt him take her into his arms the moment she was at arm's reach. "Khari... Where did you go?" He buried his face into her neck.  
  
"I just went to lock the doors, Ani" she whispered into her arm as she cradled him in her arms. "Did you have your nightmare again?" She felt him nod.  
  
"Except this time, you were in it. I was holding you just like this and then you just got up and walked away... I saw you fall and I ran after you to pick you up but when I got nearer you put your head up and you became my mom... She was on the dirt... and she's hurting..." Anakin explained.  
  
Khariya just held him to her trying her best to comfort him. "We should go to Tatooine..." she said into his ear. "Look for your mother so you can finally rest."  
  
"Padmè... the orders from Obi Wan," Anakin countered.  
  
"Padmè will do whatever you want, no worries of that..." Khariya answered, feeling a stab in her chest when she said her sister's name. "What Obi Wan doesn't know won't hurt him. We'll visit your mom to settle your nerves and we'll come back okay?" Anakin put his head up and looked into Khariya's eyes and then kissed her, gently.  
  
"I'm scared you'll leave me like everyone else..." Anakin confessed into her lips.  
  
"Why would I do that?" Khariya laughed as he kept kissing her, making it a task to talk, kiss, laugh and breathe at the same time. "I would never leave you... I would never even want to..."  
  
"I'm just scared you will," Anakin said.  
  
"Anakin, only death can pull me away from you. I'll be here for you up until the moment you don't want me here."  
  
"I'll never not want you here!" Anakin exclaimed appalled at even the idea of it.  
  
"Glad to know that," she giggled. "Now sleep again..."  
  
"Sleep's not on my mind anymore, my darling Khariya," Anakin grinned...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*  
  
It was already late. Khariya looked around, dazed. It was still morning... She knew that but how late in the morning, she didn't know. She felt so... wonderful. She closed her eyes and turned to her other side. She, then, realized that Anakin was still sleeping. Anakin... the one who held her heart and soul... now he held her body as well.  
  
And without a doubt he held it well last night, Khariya thought grinning. She could still vividly recall how they made love last night... the way his body had gently taken her virginity... how his sweat looked more like diamonds on silk as they dripped down his skin and rained on her as he moved above her... As she remembered the sound of his heavy breathing, she felt herself heat up again. Her hand caressed his cheek as she gazed adoringly at his peaceful face. She rested her head at the crook of his shoulder and arm. Her hand slowly traced every crevice of his body wanting everything seared into her brain. Her finger slipped through the ripples of his chest muscles. She pulled up a little and kissed the area right beneath his ear. She kept dropping her lips on his skin as she pulled herself on him straddling his stomach as his arms encircled her waist.  
  
"My Anakin... My beautiful sweet Anakin... My love... My joy... My everything," Khariya whispered into his ear. Now both her hands went down his skin feeling the smoothness of his stomach... his sides... his hips...  
  
"My princess," Anakin whispered back but suddenly his eyes shot open as he felt Khariya's fingers touch... him. He was already vaguely awake before hand. He was enjoying Khariya's caresses and her words into his ear as she was kissing him. Now all she did was smile innocently at him as if she had done nothing remotely dirty to wake him up.  
  
"Good morning, sweetie," she grinned giving him a quick kiss on the lips as her hands played with him. Anakin gritted his teeth and flipped them over and took hold of her hands and held them above her head.  
  
"You're dangerous you know that?" Anakin said. His eyes were dark from how pure she looked beneath him. "You have this smile as if you're just a child, sweet and innocent, as if you were untainted by politics and violence and sex..." Khariya grinned at the last word. "Oh Maker, I've created a monster." Anakin laughed and bent down to kiss her. Suddenly he gasped for air. "Oh.. Khariya.. Please... Ah.. don't do that!" Her leg decided to finish what her restrained hands had started, stroking him slowly with her knee. Suddenly, a knock on the locked door stopped their playing.  
  
"Khariya, are you awake?" Padmè asked through the door. "Why is your door locked?"  
  
"Oh my... Anakin you have to go!" She pushed him off her and heard him crash noisily on the floor beside her bed.  
  
"Oww!" Anakin yelped. Khariya laughed as she saw him tangled in sheets, rubbing a sore shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry, Anakin..." she giggled. She stood up next to him and realized that she was sore again. Her knees buckled underneath her and Anakin took the moment to pull her down for a kiss. Anakin was pulling Khariya down for another high but Padmè knocked again.  
  
"Khariya! C'mon!" Padmè yelled through the door.  
  
"Coming, Padmè... You have to leave," Khariya said pulling him up and kissing him at the same time.  
  
"You expect me to leave while looking at you still naked, still ready for me to take you?!?" Anakin said bewildered, running his hands up and down her back. "That's near impossible, princess."  
  
"Fine!" Khariya stepped away and slipped on her nightgown. She pulled Anakin's shirt over him as he reluctantly pulled up his pants. "Now go..." her eyes pleaded with him and pushed him out. He turned and kissed her one last time before heading back to his room via the balcony. "See you at breakfast..." He walked out and stopped just as he was at his door.  
  
"Mom would have loved this view," Anakin murmured. He stiffened. "Mom..."  
  
Khariya rushed to the door and pulled it open.  
  
"Padmè!" Khariya greeted. "Sorry took so long... Got tangled in the sheets..." She gestured to the bed, which definitely held up her lie. Padmè laughed at her sister.  
  
"That seemed like something you would do." She entered and sat down at the vanity. Sabè entered after her and looked like she had the some new gossip to share.  
  
"So who was it?" Sabè gushed. "Who was it Anakin visited last night and never returned from?" Khariya choked on her own tongue as she heard Sabè's words.  
  
"What?!" she stuttered.  
  
"Well, it's all over the castle! Anakin was supposedly spied coming out of his bedroom last night and didn't come back at all... And I know there's something going on between the two of you and him so spill! Who was it he slept with last night?" Sabè prodded.  
  
Padmè paled at the thought of Anakin making love to some other woman than her. She almost dead away fainted at the thought of him and her sister... but then she remembered the way they were laughing when they were at the island the day before... Could Khariya have done this to her?  
  
"It wasn't me," Khariya laughed uneasily. "No interest in Padmè's lover boy." She nudged her sister with her elbow and winked. "So Padmè... how was Anakin at... you know?" Sabè laughed along with her. Khariya walked to her bed and started to straighten it out, unable to look at either of them in the eye.  
  
"Imagine Anakin! The endurance he must have, especially since he's a Jedi... C'Mon Padmè... what was he like?" Sabè replied.  
  
"It... It wasn't me..." Padmè whispered. Sabè hushed.  
  
"If it was neither of you then I KNOW that he must have just gone meditating somewhere..." Sabè said "Because he is most definitely not getting any from anyone else but either one of you."  
  
"What do you mean either one of us?" Padmè asked trying to sound casual but Khariya knew that her sister was trying to find out why people were connecting her bodyguard and her sister together when it was almost common knowledge that she and Anakin had a stronger bond and were more likely to end up together.  
  
"Isn't it obvious, Padmè? Anakin had a crush on you when he was younger but now he's older and a bit more open to choices. There's Khariya who had a crush on him when he came here and now there's a triangle. Anakin has been seen alone with BOTH of you... No one knows whom he wants now though. There are actual bets going around the servants on who he'll end up with." Padmè walked to the balcony and saw Anakin meditating.  
  
"He's outside..." Padmè thought.  
  
"Sabè will you get me some tea please?" Padmè asked. Sabè nodded and walked out, grinning. Khariya saw Padmè staring out the window.  
  
"Do you see him?" Khariya asked. She fought with her self against limping as she walked towards Padmè. Her sister nodded and walked out, drawn to him like a moth to light but as soon as she stepped near him she turned and backed away to leave him in peace.  
  
"Don't leave," she heard him say.  
  
"I don't want to disturb you," she answered turning around again. She looked him over and smiled to herself at the view she had of his well-built physique. He turned slightly to her and replied.  
  
"Your presence is soothing..." Anakin turned away again, feeling the sense of order and control Padmè had and he felt a tiny bit jealous knowing he had so little of that on his own life.  
  
"Did you have nightmares again?" It was a good thing Padmè couldn't see him because he blushed a bright red color.  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"I heard you last night. It's strange because people told me you left your room but I could hear things from your wall, like you were moving around a lot on your bed..." Anakin turned even redder... 'Were we that loud?' But his thoughts wandered again to his mother and he decided to tell her the part of his dream the night before that actually concerned his parent.  
  
"I can see her... feel her... She's in pain, Padmè..." His thoughts went to Khariya's idea last night. "I know that it would be disobeying my mandate for you and that it would likely anger many of those who've worked so hard to retain your safety but I must go to Tatooine... I have to see her..."  
  
Padmè looked at him sadly and nodded.  
  
"Then we'll go," she replied. Anakin looked at her, surprised.  
  
"You're willing to disbey the Jedi Council to let me see my mother?" Anakin asked.  
  
"Why are you so surprised?"  
  
"Because you weren't willing to do it for me," Anakin said simply.  
  
"Anakin..."  
  
"It's fine Padmè, " Anakin interrupted. "It's not something I dwell on anymore." Padmè stood there, biting her lip, wondering what could have caused such a change in him. Just two nights before he was so willing to give everything up for her. Now it seemed like he didn't care in the least bit. "I just want to see her Padmè. That's all. I want to make sure she's all right."  
  
"We'll go, Anakin. I'll make the arrangements now." Padmè stepped back inside and saw Khariya dressed but still waiting for her sister to help her with her hair.  
  
"How's Anakin?" Khariya asked.  
  
"We're going to Tatooine... for him," Padmè responded. She stepped behind Khariya, who sat at her vanity, waiting. Padmè's hands worked quickly braiding her sister's hair to a bun with tendrils that shot out in all directions. "You're coming right?" Khariya nodded, silently.  
  
'I don't think Anakin would let me stay,' she thought. Padmè finished and both of them headed downstairs for a meal and to make plans to go to Tatooine that very same day.  
  
~~Writing is hella frustrating when you can barely figure out what'll happen next. Writer's Block. Sucks ass I tell you. Welsh people, read and review please! 


	13. Chapter 13

Note: I just want to say that all of you reviewers out there that reviewed my story (Even those who emailed me, ranting about the 101 reasons why Padmè is meant for Anakin, not some OC I made up) Just big thanks. You guys are helping me out a lot right now because I'm going through some bad ish and... IONO... reviews seem to cheer me up and I just want to say THANK YOU!! Lolz yea, that's my two cents right there. (  
  
I'm SORRIE FOR TAKING SO LONG I PROMISE TO UPDATE AGAIN DAY AFTER TOMORROW JUST HAVE TO EDIT THE NEXT CHAPTER!!  
  
Chapter 13:  
  
Padmè could see it in every single one of Khariya's movements. Her sister was hiding something. The sisterly ability to see that something was wrong in Khariya wasn't one sided. Padmè had it too and during the few hours of discreet preparations for their trip to Tatooine, Padmè could see the guilt written in her sister's face.  
  
Only Sabè, Panaka and some other workers at the palace knew what the Senator, her sister and her bodyguard were truly doing. Everyone else thought that they were just making a short trip to the capital of Naboo for some reason that remained confidential. As Anakin packed some of his things into a bag, he thanked the stars for the discretion. As he finished, he heard Khariya gently tapping at the frame of the doorway between her room and his.  
  
"Morning, princess," he smiled faking a curt bow. "How may I help you?" Khariya laughed and went to sit down on his bed.  
  
"Must you insist on calling me that because you know that I'm no princess, Anakin Skywalker," she said poking him lightly at his stomach. He stood over her, pulling her up and enveloping her in his arms, never breaking the eye contact he had with her.  
  
"Well, you're a princess by my definition so that should be good enough," Anakin whispered. He bent down and kissed her slowly. Khariya responded by opening her mouth and slowly kissing back wanting to relish every moment he was touching her because she knew it might be awhile until she'd have another moment alone with him again. She didn't think Padmè would be leaving her side on the trip to Tatooine. The moment her sister's name came to mind, she pulled back.  
  
"Stop," she murmured. She stepped back but Anakin kept his hands resting at her waist.  
  
" 'Stop' is not a word in my vocabulary right now, dear Khariya," Anakin grinned, leaning in again but she just turned her head away. "What's wrong again?" he asked exasperated.  
  
"I know Padmè loves you, Anakin. This is betraying her completely," she said softly.  
  
"You don't know that!" Anakin exclaimed.  
  
"Ani, we're sisters. I know these things." She pulled away completely but Anakin just caught her again before she could leave the room.  
  
"By your words, Khariya, what she doesn't know won't hurt her... and anyways, she had her chance with me but she just threw me away like some piece of junk at Watto's yard." Anakin's ice blue eyes bore into Khariya's trying to convince her to stop worrying over her sister.  
  
"If I stay I'll always be worried," Khariya said apologetically. "You can't have me any other way..."  
  
"I'd want you any way." Anakin led her against the doors and kissed her again, even more deeply and persuading Khariya to stay one more day with his kisses.  
  
Padmè stood near the conference room talking to Sabè making sure that all the ends were tied for their quick trip to Tatooine.  
  
"Have you seen my sister, Sabè? She disappeared again," Padmè said laughing a little nervously.  
  
"I believe she went into Anakin's room to call him down, milady," Sabè answered. "Would you like me to get them?"  
  
"No, it's all right Sabè. I'll get them myself. We can board the ship together," Padmè answered. "Take care, Sabè." Sabè looked up from her papers and smiled.  
  
"Just don't do anything crazy with Anakin, Padmè. You still have to be a role model for Khariya," grinned Sabè. Padmè rolled her eyes, laughing.  
  
"Of course, Sabè..." Padmè walked up the staircase and arrived at Anakin's room. She was a little worried because of the fact that her sister and Anakin have been alone so many times now. 'What can that mean? Are they... together now? Ergh... why do I care?? It's not like he's mine... but still...' She gently knocked on the door.  
  
"Anakin?" Padmè called. She tried to push the door but it seemed to be blocked. Khariya gasped in surprise and jumped away from Anakin. "Anakin, what's wrong with the door?" Anakin let out a low giggle at the situation.  
  
"Almost caught again?" he whispered. He had spread his arms slightly so Khariya could slip out and walk away and as he saw she was in safer distance he took away his arms from the door. Padmè stumbled in, the energy she was putting against the door falling into nothing.  
  
Padmè looked from Anakin and Khariya, suspiciously.  
  
"Why was the door stuck?" she asked. Anakin then changed his gaze between the two sisters and decided it was his turn to cover up the situation.  
  
"I was showing off to Khariya. Y'know? What's the point of being the Chosen One if you can't show off to your gir.... friends?" Anakin said. He deliberately started to say 'girlfriend' to see Khariya's expression and as expected she looked scared out of her mind but she put away her nervous façade.  
  
"Show off," she smirked. Padmè just nodded, not knowing whether or not she should confront them about her misgivings but decided against it. "Can we leave now?"  
  
"yes... Come on Khariya," Padmè nodded and they all headed to the ship that Anakin was piloting to Tatooine.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~~%~%  
  
The trip to Tatooine was uneventful. All that was there was the awkward silence that came over them when all three were around each other. They couldn't seem to just face each other and look each other in the eye without noticing the tension that was around everyone.  
  
There was Padmè who had the doubts in her mind. She was fighting with herself whether or not she did love Anakin. Actually it wasn't about that. It was about how she KNEW she loved Anakin but it was whether or not she'd admit that out loud, much less to the person it counted towards.  
  
Of course, there was Khariya who had her guilt riding on her shoulders. She was constantly tearing her self apart as she thought about how much she loved and cared for Anakin and then a glance at her sister that reminded her what a backstabber she was. She didn't want to hurt Padmè but her love for Anakin... and the happiness he gave her was overwhelming.  
  
Then, there's Anakin. His mind was far from the love triangle. He knew whom he wanted and who wanted him. He didn't tell Khariya that he knew what was going on in Padmè's head. He knew Padmè's little inner struggle but he couldn't care less now. He cared and loved Khariya, no one else. His thoughts were on his mom. He missed her so much. Anakin wished that Obi Wan understood the prophetic factor his dreams had and that he came earlier because after a month of dreams he was afraid of what he'd come to find.  
  
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~  
  
They had landed safely into a port. Khariya, having never been to Tatooine, jumped out and began to walk around the circular dock. As she went around once and began to walk back to the ship, three gnarled fingers went around her arm kept her in her place. Khariya froze in fear, not knowing what the creature with the long malevolent face was. She snapped her arm back and tried to regain her composure.  
  
"How much will it be to stay here for the day?" Khariya stuttered.  
  
"2,000 sicas for the day," he hissed.  
  
"2,000?!? That's crazy!" Anakin exclaimed coming from behind the Dug. The Dug turned and faced Anakin who looked slightly surprised.  
  
"I'm Sebulba. I own this dock and I want 2000 for one days use!" Sebulba growled but he calmed as he saw Khariya walk around and cling to Anakin's arm for protection. "But... I'll give you the whole damn place if you give me this one." He ran a long purple digit down Khariya's free arm and chuckled. Anakin's patience with the old 'friend' snapped and you could have barely seen his movements as Anakin snatched the blaster by Sebulba's side, threw it away and pinned the Dug up to the wall by the neck.  
  
"Don't you ever touch her again," Anakin spat out dangerously.  
  
"Fine... FINE!" Sebulba gasped grasping at Anakin's arm to pull himself up and away from choking.  
  
"How much for TWO days' use of the dock?"  
  
"4000..." Anakin's hold tightened. "But since you're such a negotiator, I'll let you just use the damn thing free of charge." Anakin let him go. Khariya looked horrified as she stood behind Anakin. His threatening demeanor changed as he looked at Khariya and held her face in his hands.  
  
"Are you all right?" Anakin asked and Khariya nodded. She tiptoed and kissed him quickly.  
  
"Let's find your mom, Ani," she whispered. "Then let's get out of here, please." Anakin leaned down and her kissed her again this time letting his tongue go invited into her mouth. For the moment, she left all worries behind and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
Padmè watched the whole incident from a window of the ship. She was shocked, to put it mildly, when she saw Khariya kiss Anakin. She leaned against the windowpane, a lone tear falling down her cheek. 'I told him to go... I told him I didn't love him... I told myself that what I was saying was true... If THAT were true then why does watching this hurt me so much?'  
  
Khariya broke away from Anakin breathless. She looked slightly flushed and she looked down embarassed.  
  
"I shouldn't have done that," she murmured though she still had her arms around Anakin and rested her forehead against his chin. "I can feel Padmè, Anakin..."  
  
"It's better that she knows, Princess..." he replied but she just untangled herself from him again and pulled him towards the ship.  
  
"Let's get Padmè, and you can get this search-and-rescue going," she grinned. Her hand let his go and she entered the ship and exited a moment later with Padmè by her side. Padmè's face was devoid of any emotion. Khariya knew it was the mask Amidala had for her Senatorial meetings but after a second, Padmè smiled at her sister and acted as if she saw nothing.  
  
"I've already called a transport to get us where we need to be," Padmè announced. "It should be outside." She put up her hood and Khariya put on her own cloak but in light blue. They stepped out of the spaceport and Khariya gasped at sudden fierce heat that greeted them. Anakin silently boarded their transport, as did Khariya and Padmè who sat at either of his sides. Khariya could see the dark memories flashing in Anakin's mind as his eyes surveyed the life forms and the way of life around him.  
  
"What's Tatooine like after ten years?" she asked gently putting her hand on his.  
  
"The same," Anakin answered coldly as he saw a Hutt and his cronies tugging along a parade of a dozen slaves of different alien races. "Nothing but sand whipping at you every time there's a breeze and the Hutts controlling everything and never caring about anyone as long as it's not the someone that makes their meals." Khariya nodded understandably then she leaned back away from Padmè's line of sight and put her head on Anakin's shoulder. They arrived at a rundown shack. A blue flying alien was floating irritatedly as he toyed with some mechanical object. Khariya could hear the cursing under his breath and she 'felt' Anakin steeling himself from the memories that came with the dry planet and the life forms that were on it.  
  
"Chut Chut, Watto..." she heard Anakin say. Khariya looked at Padmè. She knew her sister had some hold on many languages and understood what Anakin what was saying. Unfortunately, she didn't so she peered into Anakin's mind and read the translation of what he was saying. "Hello, Watto."  
  
"Hmmm. What do you want?" Watto hastily looked up and down again, completely uninterested. "Jedi..." He saw the lightsaber. "What ever it is I didn't do it..." He dropped the thing he was trying to fix and gave up on it. Anakin picked it up and started to play with it.  
  
"I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker..." Watto blinked, in surprise.  
  
"Are you... No you couldn't be him..." His attention was attracted to the humming of the machine he had given up on after hours of working on it. After a few moments with it, the boy had it working. "It is you! Ani! Woohoo. Whatta ya kno? A Jedi... Hey maybe you could help me with these dead beats who owe me some money..."  
  
"My mother," Anakin interrupted.  
  
"Oh yea yea... well I don't have her anymore. Sold her," Watto answered.  
  
"Sold her?!?"  
  
"Yea well, you know how business is."  
  
"To who?"  
  
"Hmmm... some moisture farmer... named Lars. From what I heard he freed her and married her. Can ya beat that eh?"  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"uhhhh. somewhere in the otherside of Mos Eisley, me thinks," Watto answered.  
  
"Can you please look in your records?" Anakin pleaded.  
  
"Now... Anakin... you know I can't do that. And anyways... the records are messed up. You use to organize that. I never wanted to so it's pretty disorganized..." Khariya looked at Padmè who looked like she was going to let Anakin take care of himself but Khariya could feel Anakin losing hope just as he stood in front of them so she interrupted.  
  
"Then, I'll look for it," Khariya volunteered. "You don't even have to do anything. Just please... Anakin just wants to see his mom." She saw Anakin smile gratefully at her and squeezed her hand.  
  
"Why dyou care so much?" Watto asked. Khariya looked taken aback.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He's with Padmè isn't he? Why do YOU care so much?" Watto asked. A silence befell them and no one wanted to answer. "Ayayai. Whatever. C'mon inside. We'll see what we can come up with because the girl cares so much..."  
  
^&^&^^&^^&^&^&^^^&^&^&^&^^&^^^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Ok... the initial version of this chapter was give or take ten pages long.... so I decided to split it and now there're two! And ima hold out one week... I actuall finished this last month... why I took so long to publish is beyond me... *laughs* actually I moved so I'm sorry. But Here it is finally! 


	14. Chapter 14

9:34 pm on father's Day. What a day... I'm actually quite sick. Why I'm typing is a reason that just flies by without giving any hint to what it is. Did that make sense?!? That shows how incoherent I am as of this moment so if this chapter bites... I'm terribly sorry.  
  
Chapter 14:  
  
They were on their way to a moisture farm on a bluff near Mos Eisley. Padmè took a turn piloting the ship. Khariya was at a bedroom, thinking, when Anakin knocked on her door.  
  
"Khariya..." he called. He pressed a button at the doorframe but found that she locked it.  
  
"Come in," she replied as she was sitting down on his bed. "And don't tell me that a door lock can stop you from getting in here." She turned her head at the swish click sound behind her and saw Anakin grinning back.  
  
"I was trying to be polite," Anakin answered before stepping and relocking the door behind him. "Why are you in here? Are you all right?"  
  
"Nothing. Just tired." She felt him kneel behind her as his hands traveled to her shoulders rubbing them down all the way to the small of her back. "Hmmm... That's good, Anakin..." She could feel him slipping the Force underneath her skin and felt the energy pulsate against muscles that she didn't even know she had. She arched her back and leaned against Anakin.  
  
"Any better?" he asked kissing the long neck she was exposing him to. She nodded, sighing.  
  
"I love you, Anakin..." she whispered into his ear. "You know that right? I'll always be here for you whenever you need me no matter what happens." Anakin stopped his kisses.  
  
"What are trying to say?" he questioned worriedly.  
  
"No! Nothing!" she said quickly seeing the concern in his eyes. "I mean that... nothing." She sat up. "I was just put off a little by Watto."  
  
"Because he thought I was with Padmè?" Khariya nodded embarrassed. "Oh... Sheesh... Okay... there are two reasons that you should not even listen to him. One) he was a slave-owning gambler with no feelings whatsoever. He only released me because he lost a bet and I'm willing to bet that that was the same situation he lost my mother to. Two) He hasn't seen me in ten years. What does HE know about who I love?" Khariya smiled.  
  
"Fine... I just... felt.. strange that's all."  
  
"Well, no more worries, Princess." He pinned her down on the bed slowly kissing her his hands traveling down the side of her body gathering the skirt up to her waist knowing that if they made love right then it would be incredibly dangerous. "I want to love you again..." he murmured into her neck.  
  
"Ani..." she laughed. "Not here... She'll catch us."  
  
"Let her!"  
  
"Anakin, I want to be with you for always but I don't want Padmè to find out, at least not yet," she said pushing him up. She saw the frown on his face.  
  
'Are you ashamed to be with me?' he thought.  
  
"No!" She quickly rephrased her words. "I just don't want her to find out until I'm sure she won't be too hurt by it." He stood up and looked away from her. She stood next to him and tilted her face to him.  
  
'I am NOT ashamed to be with you. I'd sooner tell the whole galaxy I love you but I'm not telling them not because it might be wrong because you're a Jedi or there is something utterly repulsive with me loving you, because let me tell you, we did enough last night to give me the right to say there is NOTHING repulsive with loving you,' she joked, silently slipping her thoughts into his mind. Anakin grinned sheepishly.  
  
"But I don't want to hurt my sister... Not more than the least amount of hurt this can cause her," she said. She kissed him quickly then dropped her hands so that she could go. "I'm going to the front, okay?" Anakin nodded.  
  
Padmè heard her sister step into the cockpit just as she was ready to put the ship in automatic to find her. She was still upset over the kiss she saw Anakin and Khariya shared but she was secretly gloating after Watto had mistaken her for Anakin's girlfriend.  
  
"Hey, Khari," Padmè greeted taking her hand off the auto switch. She turned and smiled at her sister who propped her self into the empty co-pilot seat. "Where's Anakin?"  
  
"Bedroom resting," she answered. "How long till we get to the bluff?"  
  
"Any minute now actually... Has Anakin said anything about this?"  
  
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Anakin walked in almost lazily and leaned on the back of Khariya's chair. As Padmè looked Anakin over, she realized how much he'd grown. She smiled...  
  
'Maybe falling in love with Anakin wasn't a mistake... But saying out loud that I wasn't might have been...' Her smile faltered and she focused again to the skies and saw their destination... a minute line in the horizon featuring some small white bumps that must have been the living quarters of the Lars.  
  
"There it is Anakin," Padmè announced. The bumps became clear now and they landed safely some distance away. Anakin had been silent since that moment and he led the way to the farm when they exited the air craft. "R2, stay with the ship please," she murmured. Both sister followed Anakin, silently readying themselves in case... in case Anakin might have some need for them.  
  
"May I help you?" An incomplete droid greeted them. Khariya stared, finding it a little strange for such a droid to be on a farm. It named it self C3- PO and it seemed to be so busy with propriety... He didn't fit into the hard land of Tatooine.  
  
"Oh my... Master Anakin!" the droid gasped. "And Miss Padmè."  
  
"Hello, Threepio," she smiled, shyly. I like being so readily accepted as Anakin's companion.  
  
"Who is this?" Threepio asked looking at Khariya.  
  
"Oh yes, you haven't met me yet!" Khariya grinned. She stepped up to him and held out her hand. Threepio hesitated for a second, a bit surprised, never having been in an environment where people actually shook hands. "My name is Danè Khariya Naberrie. I'm Padmè's younger sister."  
  
"Delighted to meet you." Threepio shook her hand briefly and turned to Anakin. "Well Master Anakin, what may I help you with?"  
  
"I'm looking for my mother," Anakin answered. C3-Po softly gasped and turned away.  
  
"I think it better for us to go in... oh dear." They followed the slightly shuffling droid. They met two people in the inside.  
  
"I'm Owen," said the boy with dark hair. "This is my girlfriend, Beru." Anakin and Owen looked at each other for a second. "I guess this means we're stepbrothers..."  
  
"Where's my mother?" Anakin said more insistently, his patience running dry. Khariya put a hand on his arm, sending him a message that said to keep calm.  
  
"She's not here," a voice said. They all turned and saw a one-legged man on a hoverchair. "Come on in... We need to talk." Khariya stared at the leg, realizing that this man was only recently hurt. Padmè had the same thoughts.  
  
As they sat around a table, an awkward silence fell over them until Anakin broke it again.  
  
"If she's not here then where is she?"  
  
"My name is Cliegg Lars... I married your mother some years ago. Won her from her old owner, Watto." He paused and grimaced as he shifted the cut leg. "About a month ago, Shmi went out early to gather some of the harvest. By the marks we found, she was halfway home when she was taken... Tuskens. I tell you, son. They stand like humans but when it comes down to it they're animals. Seven of us came out to look for her. Me included, three came back. If it weren't for my leg, I'd be out still looking but we have little hope she survived this long." Khariya looked helplessly at Anakin who looked deep in thought. His face was hard and when he tried to slip into his mind, she was pushed out roughly, sending her reeling at her seat. "I'm sorry... We never wanted you to find out this way about us..." Suddenly Anakin jumped out of his seat and stood up.  
  
"I'm going out to look for her." He glared at everyone, daring anyone to stop him.  
  
"It's hopeless son. She's been out for a month! She wouldn't survive out there," Cliegg tried to reason.  
  
"I can still feel her. She's alive." He stepped out and everyone followed. Padmè, shocked at his sudden decision, grabbed his arm and pulled him away.  
  
"Anakin are you sure about this?" Padmè whispered hurriedly.  
  
"Yes," he nodded. "Stay with the Lars. They're good people. Just please take care of yourself... And PLEASE take care of Khariya. Don't wander off." Padmè still looked worried so he put his arms around her. She nodded, understanding why he had to do this and stayed behind as he walked to the speeder bike. Khariya gripped one handle bar as he straddled the ride and looked at him in the eye. "You know I have to go, Khariya."  
  
"It's not you going that I'm worried about," she said her voice breaking with worry. "It's the part with you not being able to come back that scares me.... Come back okay?" Anakin pushed her head to his and kissed her softly.  
  
"I'll come back... Don't worry about me."  
  
"Promise it," she ordered softly.  
  
"I promise," he said a small smile playing at his lips. "Stay here until I come back." She nodded, kissed him one more time and stepped away from the speeder. With one last look he took off and both sisters were left alone.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Padmè explored the place she was now in and fell into the garage. She stayed in there looking out the window, silently praying that the occasion gust she heard was the whine of a speeder. She didn't want to think about Anakin and Khariya. She just wanted to use all her thoughts on Anakin and his mother.  
  
"The boy has issues with women," she muttered. Suddenly, a noise behind her caught her attention and she turned to see Khariya stepping into the garage.  
  
"Any sign of him?" Padmè shook her head.  
  
"I wish I knew what he's seeing right now... I want to make sure he's all right," Padmè confessed. Khariya was silent for a moment.  
  
"You saw us right?" Khariya murmured. Padmè looked at her sister, who seemed ashamed of everything in her past. "You saw me... and Anakin. You saw us kiss..."  
  
"Yes," she replied. Padmè wanted to lie through her teeth. She wanted to say some sisterly retort with something like, 'I was wondering when you two would finally get it together' but the truth spilled from her lips as did the tears from her eyes. "Since when have you been hiding this from me?"  
  
"I'm sorry Padmè... I really am... It's only been going on since yesterday. I promise. When he gets back, I'll tell him we're over. I KNEW that you had feelings for him and I can't believe I had the nerve. And I know he loves YOU no matter what he says. I'm only a replacement when you lied to him about not loving him.... I KNEW IT... I'm sorry Padmè. Please forgive me.." Khariya sobbed rambling on and on.  
  
"It's... I guess it's okay," Padmè sighed. Khariya had finally collapsed in tears into Padmè's arms.  
  
"I promise to break up with him when he gets back..." Khariya said. She sat up and wiped her tears. The guilt was finally off of her and she was relieved.  
  
"Do you love Anakin?" Padmè asked. Khariya looked away and Padmè ordered, "Only the truth Danè."  
  
"Yes," Khariya murmured in shame.  
  
"Then stay with him." Khariya blinked in surprise.  
  
"No! You love him and he loves you. I'm NOT going in the way of that!" Khariya exclaimed.  
  
"Yes you will. I lost my chance..." They were silenced when Threepio walked in on them.  
  
"I heard noise," he explained. "Is something the matter?"  
  
"No. We were just talking. We couldn't sleep. You know how it is..." Padmè said.  
  
"Ummm... I'm sorry I don't. I only know how to be on standby or active.... Never in between." He apologized.  
  
"Do you want is to cover you, Threepio?" Khariya interrupted.  
  
"I beg you pardon."  
  
"There's material everywhere here," Khariya said. "I'm sure we could find you some decent covering for those circuits. You'll need it in this heat."  
  
"Why thank you, Miss Danè," he said sitting down on an empty crate.  
  
"Khariya, Threepio. Just call me Khariya." She looked around and started gathering pieces of metal shells scattered in the garage. He just watched as Padmè started to help as well.  
  
"I lost my chance with him, Khariya. It's only right that you have him."  
  
"He's yours, dear sister. Not mine. But he has it in his head that he loves me, which couldn't be farther from the truth. You might not think that Anakin's heart belongs to you but by the time we get home to Naboo, there won't be a doubt in your mind. I promise you that," Khariya predicted.  
  
"No it doesn't!" Padmè cried out indignantly.  
  
"Yes it does and stop denying it because you know your heart belongs to him," Khariya snapped and Padmè shut up immediately. They started to cover Threepio with crude metal covers doing their best to make a shell to protect his insides.  
  
"How do you know all that?" Padmè murmured as they neared finishing and as sunrise neared as well.  
  
"I love both of you, Padmè. I can read both of you like books." Khariya stood up and admired her work on Threepio who went into standby hours ago. "You both love each other. I'm just in the way of it being reality." Padmè stared at her sister, not knowing what to say.  
  
"Thank you, then... I'll tell him I love him..."  
  
Hours later... when the suns of Tatooine was beating down on all it's citizens, Anakin's bike came back.... Khariya looked, reluctantly knowing what she had to do but as soon as she looked at the speeder any thoughts of breaking up with Anakin disappeared. There was a large lumpy bag on the back and Anakin carried it into the house, his face a menacing mask. Padmè was the first to approach him while he was in the tool shed.  
  
"Tell me what happened," Padmè said trying to get him to look her in the eye.  
  
"She died... in my arms..." Anakin said his voice cracking with angry tears. "I should have been able to save her, Padmè... It's not fair!" He threw the electronic device he had in his hand into the next room's wall. "This is all Obi Wan's fault!"  
  
"Anakin, that's not fair! He's not even here!"  
  
"But it's him holding me back. He says I'm not ready for the Trials but I am! He won't let me go. I could have had the power to save her if he never held me back."  
  
"You're not all powerful, Anakin. No one is! You can't control who dies and who doesn't," Padmè reasoned.  
  
"well, I should be." Anakin stood proudly before her and she just stared, afraid of what brought this in him. "One day I'll be the most powerful being in the galaxy and I'll be able to control death."  
  
"What happened, Anakin?" Padmè asked afraid. He looked away for a second.  
  
"After she died, I was angry. I couldn't help myself.... Every single one of them... The guards, the warriors... And not just the men... the women and children too," he growled.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"They're animals, Padmè, and I slaughtered them like animals. I killed them. I killed them all!" Anakin confessed. Padmè stood scared stiff as Anakin admitted what he did but she held her arms out to him and Anakin fell to his knees and let himself be wrapped by her. He started to cry uncontrollably into her neck and Padmè did her best to comfort him.  
  
"Shhhh..." she whispered. They just held each other for a quarter of an hour in silence and it seemed that Anakin was tired because he fell asleep on her. She gently leaned him against a cupboard and hurried to Khariya. She relayed the whole story but unlike her Khariya wasn't surprised.  
  
"I figured he'd do something to that scale," she murmured as they walked back to the tool shed. Padmè stared at her still surprised. "No... No Padmè I don't think it was right.. I just... I just knew he'd do something like that. Padmè, can you leave us alone for awhile? I'll... Anakin and I need to talk."  
  
"All right," Padmè agreed. "Just... just don't tell him it's over yet. Not for a long while..."  
  
"I know...:" Padmè left to help Threepio and Khariya entered the tool shed. She found him still asleep on the floor and she sat next to his sleeping body, not quite knowing what to do.  
  
See? I told you I'd update in a day or so! I'm working extra hard because I know I've been slacking off so I'm trying to make up for it. Please review! I'll greatly appreciate it! And thank you in advance.  
  
In case you're wondering... the next chapter is in the works and I promise it'll be up by monday. PROMISE by july 21 03 it'll be published. I'll work my butt off for it! And in case your wondering as well, After this chapter there will be only 5 chapters left. WOW... but yes the chapters WILL be long so they explain well enough. 


	15. Chapter 15

Okay as I promised, here is the next chapter by the twenty-first. I'm really working hard right now because my room is being redone and pretty much I have almost ZERO time to work on this but I shall keep my word to my beloved readers. *laughs* don't you just love me? I'm kidding. But yup here it is and I hope you enjoy it.  
  
Chapter 15:  
  
Khariya noticed the odd angle of Anakin's head and reached out to adjust it but it seemed like the way he was sleeping was VERY uncomfortable. At the corner of her eye, she saw a filthy bed by the work table. She figured it was used by Cliegg when he was working late nights and didn't have the energy to go back to his actual bedroom so he crashed there. Though it was dirty Khariya could see that there was another sheet underneath the spotted blanket that was clean.  
  
Figures, she thought. Might as well practice some use of the Force. Thinking back on her old days, she shifted her thoughts and focused on the soiled blanket and tossed it aside successfully. She then turned to Anakin and used her actual physical strength to carry him but she soon found that he was too heavy for her to actually carry. Just with him leaning on her with one arm slung on her shoulders he was weighing her down so heavily she thought her knees would buckle.  
  
She refocused her mind, which was already tired from just tossing a grimy cloth. Keep in mind, though she had some hold on most Jedi techniques (her lightsaber skills still left much to be desired.), she was no Jedi. The smallest task could drain her in an instant. She had the Force help her carry Anakin to the bed, slightly levitating his opposite side. She reached her destination, the bed, just in time because she was tired out of her mind when she got there. She did her best to settle Anakin down gently and when he touched the cushion, Khariya dropped him and then collapsed as well on the bed. Anakin turned his body to face and hold Khariya to him and chuckled into her neck.  
  
"You tired?" Anakin teased.  
  
"You were awake this whole time??" she cried out indignantly. She shoved him away playfully. "you could've walked to this stupid bed without me?!?"  
  
"Yup. But then again what would have been than fun in that? My way, I got to see how good you were in the Force and I got you to work," he laughed. "You're pretty good, by the way. For someone who didn't have formal Force training, you're pretty good."  
  
"Well, I'm glad to see you're in the mood to mock me," she frowned.Suddenly, Anakin's smile faded away.  
  
"PadmÃ¨ told you didn't she?" he whispered moving so that his head was propped up on his elbow and his other hand cupped Khariya's face.  
  
"Of course she did..." Khariya saw a flick of his hand and heard the door shut and the light switch click on. "Anakin... this is NOT a good time for this," she murmured as she felt him lean down to kiss her neck. He backed away for a second.  
  
"Are you mad at me because of what I did?" Anakin asked. Khariya knew that he was deliberately acting like a little child and talking softly like kid because he knew that she couldn't be mad at him otherwise.  
  
"No," she sighed. "I guess I can't be. It was understandable and some of them deserved it for killing your mother. I just wish that you didn't kill all of them. I mean, was that really necessary?"  
  
"But you DON'T understand, Khariya!" he exclaimed. "You didn't see her! You didn't hear her! You didn't see what happened! Oh... Maker! How could you possibly understand?!!" He was now sitting up.... then standing up pacing beside the bed. "I haven't seen her in TEN years, Khariya! Then when I do see her, it's when she dies. It's not fair, Khariya! It isn't! I had to kill them! They took her away!" Khariya grabbed his hand and pulled him down. She sat up beside him and just put his face in her hands as her fingetips wiped away at his sweat and tears.  
  
"I know it isn't fair... Life almost never is," she murmured, suddenly realizing that this talk was also for her benefit. "Someone you love... they can be always be taken from you by death... or by something else entirely. You just have to let go, Anakin. Otherwise, it'll kill you inside." Anakin took her hands from his face and put them beside her as he leaned down to kiss her.  
  
"I won't let you be taken away from me," Anakin said between kisses. He leaned her down onto the bed his body pinning her down. "Khariya, help me. Distract me..." He kissed her harder opening her mouth with his tongue and Khariya returned the kiss, her hand wrapping around his neck. Anakin started to released her mouth to drop another long line of kisses down her neck.  
  
"Anakin, this such a bad time for this kind of thing," she moaned as his hands began to roam her body.  
  
"Just distract me, Khari. Please," he replied. Khariya couldn't help it. In just the one night they spent together he seemed to know every spot on her body. She just nodded....  
  
An hour later, a knock came at the door, distracting the two lovers.  
  
"Ummm. Anakin?" Owen called from outside. Anakin groaned in frustration. He just wanted to stay in Khariya's arms in that rundown tool shed.  
  
"Yes?" he replied through the walls. Khariya continued kissing Anakin down his body as she lingered over him but Anakin pulled her up to so their lips could meet again, inviting her tongue into his mouth.  
  
"It's time..." Owen's words took a moment to reach their ears completely.  
  
"Oh Sithspit," Khariya cussed jumping off of Anakin and made a grab for her dress, remembereing that Cliegg wanted the funeral to be the same day. Anakin remained lying down, silently begging the Force to turn time so he wouldn't have to go out and face the reality of outside. After a few seconds, Khariya was dressed, looking only slightly flushed. "Anakin, tell him you're coming."  
  
"We're coming," Anakin said reluctantly. They heard Owen walk away and Anakin just looked at Khariya pitifully. "I don't want to go," he whined.  
  
"Anakin!" Khariya scolded. He realized, then, what he just said: He didn't want to go to his won mother's funeral. He sat up and began to dress.  
  
"I'm sorry," he spoke softly. "I didn't mean it that way." Khariya's eyes softened.  
  
"I know... I just... I distracted you like you asked me to. Now it's time to face up to reality." Anakin finished and stood up next to Khariya. They turned to head for the door but Anakin took Khariya in his arms again for one more time.  
  
"I love you," he whispered kissing her tenderly. He broke away.  
  
"I love you too," she smiled. His hand didn't let go of hers and they walked to the grave that Owen and some others had dug for Shmi. Anakin wanted to run. He didn't want to see this. He wanted to do anything but accept what had happened but Khariya just held on to him.  
  
'At least I have Khariya with me,' he thought.  
  
Cliegg started the ceremony, saying some words about Shmi... The basics, that she was good woman, a hard worker, a wonderful wife... PadmÃ¨ remained stone cold through the process. She could only see Khariya and Anakin's intertwined fingers. She could only see how Khariya's free hand went to Anakin's arm squeesing it gently and left it there, stroking his skin lightly. She didn't know what to think and whatever tears that fell from her eyes were that of anger. Cliegg then ended the ritual and threw his handful of dirt on the grave as his symbol of letting Shmi go willingly. Cliegg and his family walked away but Anakin walked straight onto the grave his tears going unchecked. Khariya stood back as did PadmÃ¨.  
  
Neither sister could hear his words but they knew it was a hard moment for Anakin when they saw him drop to his knees, his hands plunging into the freshly-dug sand. Khariya looked at her sister, who was glaring back.  
  
"You said you wouldn't make anymore moves toward Anakin," PadmÃ¨ growled under her breath.  
  
"PadmÃ¨, this isn't a good time for this," Khariya pleaded. 'My goodness, they would make the most perfect couple wouldn't they?' she thought sarcastically. 'Neither have good situation perceptions.'  
  
"You slept with him," PadmÃ¨ accused Khariya. Khariya just turned away, knowing that doing so would just confirm her guilt but PadmÃ¨ just kept pushing. She seized Khariya's shoulder and made her sister face her. "How could you sleep with him?!?1 Especially NOW!?!"  
  
"It was momentary lack of judgement, PadmÃ¨," Khariya explained. The night before she was begging for forgiveness but now that Anakin had some new problems to deal with, she just wanted to be there for Anakin. She would gladly let PadmÃ¨ be the person that comforted him but Anakin was still blinded by something Khariya still didn't know of. She didn't want to cause even more stress on Anakin. "And can this be discussed later? Anakin..."  
  
"Right..." PadmÃ¨ scoffed. "Like this has anything to do with Anakin. If what you said last night about Anakin loving me was true, then it's more likely that you did something into 'thinking' he was in love with YOU."  
  
"LATER, PadmÃ¨ Amidala," Khariya snarled. She twisted away and walked nearer to Anakin.  
  
They all turned when they heard a familiar beeping behind them.  
  
"R2, what are you doing here?" PadmÃ¨ leaned down to the droid and faced back to Anakin and Khariya, her face lined with more worry. "There's a distress message on the ship."  
  
"Let someone else handle it," Anakin muttered bitterly.  
  
"It's from Obi Wan," PadmÃ¨ finished. Anakin took a moment to answer.  
  
"Then we might as well see what is says," he said standing up and walking towards the ship...  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Aiight! Just as I promised! And there's another version as well to this story... But chloe is nowhere near me at the moment so that version will have to wait for later on. PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
More reviews = more updates  
  
Works quite simply. And argh.... so much for just five chapters left. New plot bunny... And now I have to make more changes to the story...  
  
And if you want email me at: xodangoatamax@hotmail.com 


	16. Chapter 16

Hi... *Ducks behind piled bags of sand to dodge grenade.. head pops up* *nervous laugh* Yea... Ummm I'm sorry? *squeal and jumps behind protection again* Stop that! I know I'm late!! *horde of tomatoes gets thrown* OKAY!! I'm sorry! I'm here aren't I?!? Just read my excuses on my profile.  
  
Chapter 16:  
  
Anakin sat at the console watching his master speak about some dire situations on Geonosis. It was already sent to the Council and they had ordered Anakin to stay on Tatooine until further notice. He put the tips of his fingers together then touched it to his lips, his brows curling in thought. He couldn't erase the last scene from the transmission...  
  
"Wait!" Obi Wan turned and saw a horde of flying creatures ambushing from the rocks that they were hidden behind. He raised the hilt of his light saber and heard the snap-hiss as he automatically turned it on. The some other life forms emerged from their invisibility and raised guns. The guns shot at him and he immediately maneuvered his weapon reflecting the shots coming at him but one of the shots his the satellite he was using to transmit the message. "Damn!"  
  
"I don't want to leave him there," Padmè voiced his thoughts exactly. "This isn't right. If the Council is to send their backup it will be too late. This map says the Council will have to go halfway through the galaxy to get to him. We're only half a parsec away. They wouldn't get there in time, Anakin." Padmè sat back at her own seat. Khariya looked at each of them, curiously. She had no idea how to handle situations the way Padmè and Anakin could. She knew she was impulsive and if she had her way, she would be at Geonosis already. Padmè and Anakin looked at each other now worried.  
  
"The Council ordered us to stay put," Anakin reasoned. Khariya let herself a half smile when she realized it was the first time Anakin regarded any orders from authority. "I can't just go..."  
  
"Well, that wasn't what you were saying on the way here," Padmè shot back. "And anyways your orders were to protect ME... And I intend on going to that planet to rescue Obi Wan." Her eyes turned from serious to almost mocking and Anakin smiled. "If plan to protect me then you'll just have to come along." Padmè stepped into the pilot's seat as Anakin kept grinning.  
  
'If only Padmè acted like this more often." Then he caught himself. He looked at Khariya who looked deep in thought.  
  
"I'm staying," Khariya announced. The other two looked at her in surprise and for a second, Khariya thought, she saw Padmè's eyes flash with triumph but she was convinced it was just her imagination working with what just happened outside their ship. "I'll be a distraction. I'll probably get you both killed trying to rescue me from one jam or another. I'll stay."  
  
"You're coming with us," Anakin ordered taking a step up to her but never touching her. "And don't tell me you can't fight. I know you have enough control on the Force to know how to fight." Khariya looked at Padmè.  
  
"Yes, he's right." Padmè looked sincere now. "We'll need all the help we can get right now. I know you can use the Force and that'll be enough to guide you with using a blaster. We need you." Khariya just shook her head.  
  
"No, you don't. I have to stay Padmè. It's the right thing to do in the circumstances." Padmè pushed Anakin aside.  
  
"You're coming, Khariya..."  
  
"I think she's right, Padmè." Anakin looked at the older sister as she turned in surprise. "She'll be in danger. I don't want to risk Khariya getting hurt. I want to protect her but it'll an ongoing battle up there."  
  
"How about me?" Padmè countered. "You're willing to risk me on Geonosis."  
  
"No! It's nothing like that!" he exclaimed. "I know you can fight and hold out on your own. I remember it back when the Trade Federation invaded. You knew how to fight and protect yourself. You have experience. Khariya doesn't."  
  
"This is a waste of time... Khariya we need you. Anakin, her fighting skills are competent. I know my sister and she can HELP us. Her experience won't come if you deny her the chance to fight," Padmè said confidently. "You're coming Khariya."  
  
"Fine..." Khariya murmured. She felt a slight pride in knowing that Padmè had that much confidence in her. "I'll come." Padmè smiled relief and turned back to the pilot's chair.  
  
"We'll be there in about an hour..."  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later, Anakin found Khariya hidden again. This time she was on the counter sitting quietly in the small bathroom. Anakin went in and shut the door. Khariya looked up, amused. Anakin was squashed between the wall and her legs. He smiled evilly as he separated her legs and stood between them as he wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"I'm not sure I should have come, Anakin," she said as he kissed her tenderly. "I don't want either of you to worry about me..."  
  
"We'd worry about you either way," he murmured into her ear. His breath tickled her and she giggled under her breath. "I never thanked you for the distraction..."  
  
"Didn't have to." She felt his hands hold her head as he kissed her again. This time the kiss wasn't tender but passionate, literally taking away her breath. Her head went against the glass behind her, his lips taking hers as his own. He continued the bruising kiss for a few minutes before Khariya and Anakin broke away, flushed but happy.  
  
"That was my thank you." He grinned and stepped out, leaving Khariya grinning as she leaned back on the wall, gasping for breath.  
  
***  
  
Anakin knew what he just did in the bathroom wasn't just to thank Khariya for their time in the shed but to remind him of his love for her. He felt a sudden rush with what Padmè had done when she took over the situation to rescue Obi Wan.  
  
'Stupid... just old debris from your crush on Padmè,' he thought. 'Khariya is more than you'll ever need, Anakin. More than you'll ever want... More than what you deserve.' Anakin frowned at the thought but pushed the last sentiment aside. He knew it was true but at least he'd try his best to earn her...  
  
***  
  
Padmè knew that what she had done had just gotten her in Anakin's good books again. She saw the sheepish smile on his face when she ordered every one to come with her on the rescue mission. She smiled mischievously wondering if Anakin like the woman to take charge in other aspects of his *cough* life. One day, she'd try it out.  
  
Anakin walked in his lips slightly swollen and a glassy look on his eyes. She immediately recognized the look as someone who just had some mild encounter with their other half. Something strange had taken over Padmè. The picture of Anakin and Khariya making out wasn't very disturbing anymore. She just thought it a challenge. She was surprised at her thoughts but she didn't mind them at all.  
  
"See those columns of steam straight ahead?" Padmè asked as she maneuvered on the rocky planets of Geonosis. "They're exhaust vents of some type." Anakin squinted and saw what she was talking about.  
  
"That'll do. We'll land there," he said sitting down on the co-pilot's seat.  
  
She twisted in her seat to the intercom. "Khariya, c'mon back. We're about to land." A few moments later Khariya walked in a completely different outfit. She had on something of a more feminine version of Anakin's own Jedi garb.  
  
"I'm here," she murmured sitting behind Padmè. She put on her restraining belts and held her breath as the ship landed in the midst of billowing steams covering their presence. As they were about to get off the ship, Padmè gave everyone one of her diplomatic lectures.  
  
"Look whatever happens out there, follow my lead," she said sternly. "I'm not interested in getting into a war here. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess."  
  
"And as an outsider with no experience whatsoever in fighting, maybe I can stay in the ship?" Khariya asked grinning hopefully at Padmè who just rolled her eyes.  
  
"Khari, you're coming. We need your help. It's not like there will be fighting for sure," Padmè said.  
  
"Padmè, I'm young and so are you but I'm praying to the Maker right now that you're not that naïve," Khariya frowned. "It will turn to battles out there."  
  
"Not if I can help it," she snapped. "Come on... Do YOU have any complaints Anakin?" She didn't bother waiting for his answer and just headed for the door.  
  
"Don't worry," he replied. "I've given up trying to argue with you." Khariya looked at him smiling.  
  
"Took you how long to get that?"  
  
"About a week... Give or take a few days... You?"  
  
"I'm still learning," she chuckled. She got his hand and Anakin felt her worry.  
  
"I won't let anything happen to you Khariya," he whispered kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you and Padmè. I'm a distraction... I'm worried you'll get yourself hurt because of me." She squeezed his hand and then picked up the blaster at the side of her seat. "But let's go..." Padmè was waiting impatiently outside.  
  
"come on!" she snapped again. Anakin sighed and took the lead, taking them through one door and into a corridor with mangled walls. Khariya kept closely behind Padmè and kept turning to look at the walls. Something was tugging at her stomach as she saw the mashed figures engraved into the walls.  
  
"I'm no security expert but aren't these corridors suppose to be guarded?" Khariya murmured.  
  
"I don't know," Padmè answered just as uneasy herself.  
  
"Something doesn't feel right..." She faintly heard a crunching noise behind her and she turned around quickly to see the figures she thought was engraved into the walls come alive and crawling their way to her. "ANAKIN!" Anakin circled roughly back and saw the bony creatures trying to claw their way to the sisters. He ran past and between them just as his light saber ignited.  
  
"Get past the door at the end of the hall!" he ordered. The blue blade of his weapon sliced through everything in its range and he walked backwards towards Khariya and Padmè.  
  
Khariya was blasting everything that moved around her, the laser bullets piercing the skin of the aliens.  
  
"Back... back you tiny little skeletons," she muttered as she ran on. Padmè was beside her doing the same, her brow creased in concentration.  
  
"The door!" Padmè exclaimed. Khariya turned to see it and began to gain distance from Padmè as she ran for it. Just as she was about to get close enough for the sensor to open a newer, bigger monster jumped in front of her snarling as it smiled dangerously. Khariya fell back frightened, yelling out Padmè's name.  
  
Padmè saw the different Geonosian appear and began shooting at it from her spot but the lasers didn't seem to affecting the thick hide of the thing.  
  
"Khariya, I'm coming!" Padmè exclaimed trying to fight her way through the annoying little ones. Just as the corridor cleared in front of her she saw the one with Khariya grasp the girl by the waist and pull her back and into the walls. "Khariya!" Anakin appeared from behind her and didn't notice what happened to her.  
  
"Get behind the door Padmè!" commanded Anakin. Padmè impulsively followed the order but stopped when the path itself stopped. Anakin turned off his weapon and looked at Padmè. "Where's Khariya!?"  
  
"She was taken..." she replied. Anakin turned angrily back towards the door but it shut itself and locked. Suddenly the path lurched for a second. Padmè lost her balance and fell into one of the machine lines. The path lurched a second time and Anakin came tumbling after but to a different conveyor belt.  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Padmè dodged the different machineries that were making weapons around her. She looked behind her to see if Anakin had followed her but the moment she turned her attention from keeping herself from falling, an arm knocked her body into a vast pail lined in dirt and scum.  
  
"Anakin!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she tried clawing her way from the hole but at any grip she could take hold the dirt would just deteriorate underneath her fingers. She looked at the dirt and realized what it was; it was old traces of liquid alloys and realized she was in the line for the bucket to be refilled. "C'mon... C'mon... Khariya! Anakin! Help me!!"  
  
Instead of voices, she heard a familiar beeping. "R2!!! Stop this thing!" She heard a series of beeps that she was hoping would mean a yes. She looked up and her fears were confirmed. A dispenser was starting to open above her but just as the round hole opened to pour hot liquid on her, it closed and her pail was moved onto the walkways. It tilted and she tumbled ungracefully out of her hole. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief but she looked up and she saw an assemblage of Geonosians staring down at her pointing weapons.  
  
"Damn..." she muttered standing up with her arms held out in surrender.  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Anakin was busy. He had misjudged the direction he thought Padmè had gone and was going towards a totally different destination. The mechanical guards were coming at him from all sides and he could just barely deflect all of the shots coming at him. He thought he finally got cover as he lost them at a crossroads of dozens conveyor belts and he tumbled into an obscure one in the corners of the crossing but he tumbled into another predicament. His light saber flew out of his hand as he fell onto an awkward position.  
  
"No!" he grunted. He ran back towards it and saw it landed on one of the metal contraptions glued onto the belt. Anakin made a dive for it and as soon his hand had gripped the hilt another metal covering was welded on top of his arm.  
  
"Ergh..." Anakin pulled at his arm trying to pry away the cover but it wouldn't budge. He stopped his efforts as the belt turned a corner and the metal arms began to smash the objects. As he rolled his body away from being crushed into pieces, another arm smashed onto the metal holding his arm freeing it. He moved away quickly but as he regained footing on the ground he was surrounded by guards. He raised the hilt of his light saber up but as he tried to click it on he realized that the steel hilt was smashed.  
  
"Not again!" he exclaimed. He looked at his captors helplessly. "Obi Wan's gonna kill me..."  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Khariya was taken by the monster to an official-looking chamber. It was mostly taken up by a large circular table and a man was on the other side with a dark cloak and a regal façade.  
  
"Sit down, Khariya," the man said. She was plopped down on a seat and glared at the alien holding her in place by holding her hands and arms together at the back of her chair. "Do let her go, Amiertho. I don't believe she's stupid enough to think that she can escape us." The alien let her go and stepped back.  
  
"Thanks for the compliment," Khariya replied sarcastically as she rubbed her sore arms.  
  
"You made quite a racket on your way here, Khariya."  
  
"Well, it isn't every day I get pulled through walls against my will by something I don't even know the name of no less," she snapped. "And speaking of names, you haven't had the manners of giving me yours when you clearly know mine." The man looked at her irritated.  
  
"I am Count Dooku and it would be most appreciated if the attitude was put away, Khariya."  
  
"Count Dooku, is it? You filthy little bastard. You're the one who's been putting a bounty on my sister's head," she hissed.  
  
"You're not in the best place to be handing out insults, Khariya..."  
  
"Miss Naberrie to YOU, Count Dooku," she interrupted.  
  
"Fair enough but I do have to ask you milady," he said standing up and walking to her side. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to help my sister and my boyfriend stop your plan to overthrow the Republic, which by the way is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of," she added. Khariya could barely contain her insults but that was what she did when she was nervous or afraid and right then she was panicky and downright terrified but she knew better than to show it.  
  
"It's a stupid idea to overthrow something that isn't working anymore?" He put a hand on her cheek and Khariya backed away disgusted.  
  
"It only won't work when people like YOU refuse to work WITH it," she retorted. She glanced over his shoulder and then over hers. She saw a heavy bust of some alien behind Count Dooku and it seemed her captor had disappeared. With all her strength, she gathered the Force and threw it against Count Dooku's head knocking him down with a bloody cut across the head. She turned to run through the door but she was enveloped by invisible arms. A second later, Amiertho appeared holding her to him as she kicked and screamed.  
  
"Let me go!!" she shrieked. Several guards helped Count Dooku who looked at Khariya with a bloody stare.  
  
"You little brat," he spat out before hitting her across the cheek. Her screams turned silent for a moment in shock. Count Dooku turned to Amiertho with orders. "Tie her up and put her in a seat with a good view of the Coliseum. She needs to have a good view when her old Jedi friend is torn limb from limb..." The orders took Khariya out of shock and she started screaming obscenities at Count Dooku again as she kicked in the air while being taken away.  
  
"And gag her!!" he shouted over her shrieks. The doors closed and Count Dooku took a cloth to cleanse his wound. His head was pounding in pain but he quickly took an aspirin and the ache ceased for the moment. He still had work to do. He sat himself down on the seat he occupied when Khariya was brought in. In a few moments, Senator Amidala Naberrie and Padawan Anakin Skywalker would be brought in for his proposition.  
  
----------  
  
Haha. How you like that? Okay so I'm onto the next chapter which should equally be as long because the two chapter after that are already written and.. Haha. We'll see what happens... 


	17. Chapter 17

See? At least my promise that it would be TWO chapters on this update was fulfilled. I swear though... I wasn't my fault. The computer crashed on me and we sent it to the repair man and he took a bleeding two WEEKS to repair the comp! Was that my fault?!? I refrain to say yes because it isn't!! Okay so I'm excusing my lack of punctuality but I'm sorry!!! Okay?? For those of you who want to bag on me personally send me your email or something so that you can get my cell number and you can yell at me verbally because god knows I'd deserve that. I'm an avid reader of fanfics myself and regardless of the excuse it sucks having to wait more than the ETA given.  
  
:: Chapter 17 ::  
  
Padmè strode into the meeting room full of purpose and sat down ready for business. Anakin stood beside her in irons and was glaring at the count.  
  
"Senator Amidala and Anakin Skywalker," Count Dooku greeted smiling. "Nice of you to visit us..."  
  
"This is business, Count Dooku," Padmè said coolly. "You're holding a Jedi Knight, Obi Wan Kenobi, and my sister, Dané Khariya Naberrie. I'm formally requesting you hand them over to me now."  
  
"I'm afraid we don't recognize the Republic here, Senator," he said apologetically. "But if Naboo were to join our alliance, I could easily hear you plea."  
  
"And if I don't join your Rebellion?" Count Dooku seemed to take offense in calling his 'Alliance' a 'Rebellion.  
  
"The Republic cannot be fixed milady," he answered. "It is time to start over."  
  
"I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, The Commerce Guild and the others, Count. I will not forsake what I've honored and worked for and betray the Republic."  
  
"I've come to my work's end then. Without your cooperation, there is nothing else I can do for you..." He turned to the guards. "Take them to court. The Geonosians will be wanting to try them in the full assembly." He was about to walk away when Anakin's self-restraint broke.  
  
"Tell us where Khariya is!" he shouted. Count Dooku smiled at Anakin.  
  
"I'm afraid your significant other won't be joining your trial, Anakin. She's been taken away as to view either the one... or three, depending on your verdict, executions today. I suggest you forget her because you won't be seeing her any longer." He gave Anakin one more cold smile as the boy tried to lunge at him in anger. Anakin's chain holder pulled on his restraints though and he just fell on the floor with a grunt.  
  
"Anakin, don't!" Padmè hissed as she helped him up. Her own anger was boiling inside her but she knew to hold it until a more opportune moment. "Bide your time, Anakin!" The Count just laughed and watched them as they were walked to their last moments.  
  
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_  
  
"Padmè Amidala Naberrie and Anakin Skywalker," the alien's voice boomed in his own language. Anakin could understand nothing but Padmè kept a running commentary for his sake. From what he gathered, everything they were saying were just a huge cock-and-bull story to get the jeering citizens in the assembly fired up to execute them. He was, disturbingly, reminded of the people he lived with on Tatooine. "You have been charged and found guilty of espionage."  
  
"You're committing and act of war, Archduke," Padmè said calmly. "I hope you are prepared for the consequences." The judge just laughed.  
  
"We build weapons, Senator!" he chuckled. "That's our business! Of course, we are prepared!" The Viceroys on the other side of the court were getting impatient.  
  
"Get on with it!" he shouted. "Bring out the sentence! I want to hear her suffer!" Padmè just looked on coldly at her surrounding while Anakin looked on with disgust.  
  
"Your Jedi friend is waiting for you," the judge sneered. "Take them to the execution area."  
  
Anakin and Padmè were pulled from the courtroom and down the corridors and for once in her life, Padmè had a feeling that they might not survive this mission after all. She stole a brief glance at Anakin. Her feelings for him suddenly surfaced and were begging to be told.  
  
'This is the end,' she thought soberly. 'I need to tell Anakin... everything. And Khariya... I hope she's all right but with things going the way they're going, I'm afraid I'll never see her again so it's just right that I tell Anakin.' They were put on carriage that would take them to the execution pillars and Padmè saw it as her last chance. Anakin turned to Padmè and saw the look of reluctance in her face and mistook it for fear.  
  
"Don't be afraid," he said reassuringly.  
  
"I'm not afraid to die," she answered automatically. Then, she turned to him with all the courage she had. "I've been dying each day since you came back into my life."  
  
Anakin's head jerked backwards in surprise. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I love you," she replied simply.  
  
"You love me?" he asked dubiously. "I thought we decided not to fall in love... that we'd be forced to live a lie... and that it would destroy our lives." Padmè looked out into the coliseum and at the gates just beyond them that was sure to be holding some precarious creature ready to obliterate them.  
  
"I think it's about to be destroyed anyways..." She looked into Anakin's eyes, silently calling him to lean forward. Anakin's mind and heart were in deep combat. He knew this was wrong. He knew that Khariya was literally waiting for him outside the doorway but the satisfaction that he was right about Padmè's feeling all along engulfed him and he felt himself going against the chains to near Padmè. "I truly deeply love you..." she whispered. "And before we die, I wanted you to know." Their lips met for some moments and everything was forgotten. Their eyes closed, they felt the carriage they stood on move into the coliseum and Anakin abruptly felt Khariya's presence out in the light so he broke away from Padmè.  
  
"Stop," he murmured.  
  
Padmè nodded. She put her arms down to her waist and her belt gently poked her wrists. 'My belt!' she thought. Out of one of the hidden pockets, she removed a pin and discreetly hid it in her hand while she was being chained to a post.  
  
Obi Wan stood waiting by one of the pillars looking quite annoyed and agitated. "I was beginning to think you didn't receive my message," Obi Wan said. Anakin was being chained onto the column and he looked at his master calmly.  
  
"I retransmitted the message just like you instructed me to," Anakin replied, then added, "Then Padmè, Khariya and I decided to come rescue you." Obi Wan glanced at his chains.  
  
"Good job," he commended.  
  
"I have no time for this. Obi Wan, can you find Khariya?" Obi Wan looked at Anakin suspiciously and nodded towards the viewing area where the Viceroys and the Count were present. Anakin turned towards where Obi Wan indicated and saw Khariya's body tied and gagged beside Count Dooku. He could sense her diminishing energy as she struggled against her bonds and scooted her chair away from a ten year old child poking at her side with a blaster.  
  
"We have to get her out of there, Master."  
  
"Patience, my young Padawan. Patience," Obi Wan answered. All of a sudden, a loud roar took everyone's attention to the gates behind the pillars. They all turned and saw three monsters held on a leash and turned away from their guards by lightning rods.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this," Anakin sighed.  
  
"Just relax. Concentrate," his Master instructed.  
  
"What about Padmè and Khariya?"  
  
"Padmè seems to be on top of things..." Obi Wan smirked. Anakin looked at Padmè and saw her scaling the stone pillar, a pin in her hand unlocking her chains. "Smart girl." His attention swerved to the praying-mantis-like creature who used a pointed foot to stab at him but Obi Wan maneuvered his restraints so that the stab was aimed at them, freeing him at least from that one spot. He rolled out of the way and he hoped Anakin could handle himself.  
  
Khariya smiled, triumphantly as the Viceroys looked crossly at Padmè's way of protection. It seemed they were annoyed that the monster sent after her sister was having a hard time reaching her when she was so far up.  
  
"She can't do that! Shoot her!" the man shouted over the screams of the crowd. "... or something!" Count Dooku just ignored the request and looked on with disgust. Khariya managed to spit out the cloth that prevented her speech and directed it to the peevish boy guarding her.  
  
"Hey!" the kid cried out wiping away the spit from his face.  
  
"Keep that blaster away from me, kid," she snapped. "Plan isn't working too well now is it, Count Dooku?" She had a smug expression on her face as Count Dooku gave a fleeting look at her.  
  
"Just watch, my dear..." No sooner had he said this, Padmè gave a shriek of pain as the cat's claws slashed at her back leaving bloody trails.  
  
"Padmè!!" Khariya yelled. "Let me go!!" She began struggling against her binding restraints. Anakin felt Khariya's outburst and felt himself go into action. He pushed himself into a giant leap and roped his personal executioner into his own ride. He tried to steer it to where Khariya was but it fought him leaving him just below Padmè's pillar. He looked up and saw Padmè free of chains.  
  
"Jump!" he yelled and she followed landing just behind him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed for a second but he knew he didn't have time for that. He got the animal next to Obi Wan who jumped on as well.  
  
"We'll need weapons, Anakin," Obi Wan said as the animal trampled on the guards trying to get at them. "Without weapons, we'll end right back on those pillars."  
  
"I know... We just have to stall for time," Anakin replied.  
  
"This isn't how it's suppose to be!" Viceroy whined again.  
  
"Patience, Viceroy," Count Dooku said. "She will die."  
  
"Don't count on it," Khariya hissed, her hands slowly rubbing the rope on her wrists against a jagged wall loosening it little by little. She looked towards the sky sensing something new coming their way and saw some cargo ships coming in from the canyons and grinned. "Looks like reinforcements are just in time." Count Dooku looked at her, confused then felt everything in her confident smirk explained when dozens of Jedis came from the sky with light sabers on hand. He stiffened for a moment but regained composure.  
  
"Miss Naberrie, their foolish move has just made executing my Master's plan so much more easier," he replied.  
  
"Your master?" She looked at Count Dooku questioningly. Before she could ask anymore questions though, Mace Windu strode onto the terrace. "Master Windu!" His purple saber was standing in attention and with quick effort tore Khariya's ropes and she jumped to his side for protection.  
  
"Mace, how pleasant of you to join us," Count Dooku greeted calmly.  
  
"This party is over," Mace said menacingly and took a step forward. The armored guard next to the Count took a step as well but Dooku held him back.  
  
"Brave but foolish, my old Jedi friend but you should know that you are impossibly outnumbered," the Count explained. Khariya's ears caught sounds of faint heavy footsteps behind her and turned around.  
  
"Something.... Actually, A LOT of some things are coming," she murmured.  
  
"I don't think so," Mace growled.  
  
"I do..." Khariya tugged at Mace Windu's sleeve and made him turn around just in time to see the marching troops of droids coming in from the halls, blasters shooting. Khariya jumped to the side to dodge the lasers and accidentally fell on the boy who was guarding her before. His blaster fell from his hand and before he could even react, Khariya rolled to the blaster and pushed herself up with the weapon in her hand.  
  
"Sorry, kid," she said sarcastically. "Just business..." Mace was backing up as the droids attacked and he called Khariya to him.  
  
"C'mon, Miss Naberrie, hang on," he ordered. Khariya put her arms around his waist and felt the air rush around her when Mace jumped down and landed safely on the ground below. As soon as she stepped on the dusty floor, she felt Anakin at her side pulling her away from harm into a hidden crevice.  
  
"Khariya!" he exclaimed, pulling her for a quick embrace and then backed away to check if she was hurt. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"  
  
"No... No I'm fine, Anakin," she smiled, softly. "Are the three of you okay?"  
  
"Yea... Gods.... Khariya, I thought I would never see you again," he whispered, kissing her quickly.  
  
"I'm here, Ani..." she whispered. "But c'mon we have to help." Anakin nodded.  
  
"Fine but you're staying with me this time," he bid. He took her hand and pulled her out of the crevice immediately deflecting the blaster shots. Khariya took her hand out from Anakin's so she could start using her weapon against the advancing enemies. It seemed that all of their allies were being rounded up into the center so they steered their way to them.  
  
"Khariya!" Padmè exclaimed when she saw her sister coming with Anakin by her side.  
  
Khariya, happy to see her sister, put her guard down to dash to Padmè's aid but the moment she did a blaster shot came at her. She just barely noticed when she tried to dodge but it grazed her arm ripping through her sleeve and skin leaving it bloody. She dropped her weapon and ran behind several Jedis, knowing that with her weapon arm wounded, she would be useless.  
  
Padmè ran to her sister before forcing herself to fire at the opponents. Somehow, a thought in Khariya's voice came through her head.  
  
'I'm all right Padmè,' it said. 'I'll live... Now go and fight!'  
  
Anakin saw what had happened but didn't have the facility to react. He tried to get to Khariya but he was only sent a message similar to Padmè's so he just ran to help Padmè.  
  
"You call this a diplomatic solution?" Anakin asked over the firing.  
  
"No," she said with a slight smile. "I call it aggressive negotiations." Had they been in a better situation, Anakin wuld have laughed at the joke.  
  
Finally they were all centered in the coliseum and the droids went into standby.  
  
"What happened?" Khariya asked. Obi Wan was right in front of her and stood there just as perplexed as she was.  
  
"Master Windu!" Count Dooku called from where, Khariya thought, he stood a coward's distance away from the battle. "You've fought bravely today. Enough to be recognized in the Jedi Council's higher ranks, I believe, but unfortunately, all your efforts are futile."  
  
"Give it up, Count Dooku!" Mace Windu retorted. "You WILL lose today."  
  
"How can he say that?!? We're cornered!" Khariya muttered to Obi Wan.  
  
"Silence, Khariya... You're just as bad as Anakin sometimes. Now just listen."  
  
"You couldn't possibly think you can get out of this alive," Count Dooku almost laughed. Mace stood stone silent, his saber ready for anything. "Then, I guess you choose to die today, my old friend..." The droids came to attention and the blasters were raised to shoot at all of them and Khariya shut her eyes tight ready to die but suddenly the wind whipped around her. She looked up and saw more ships with countless troopers.  
  
"The clones," she heard Obi Wan murmur.  
  
'Clones...' Khariya thought in the chaos exploding around her. 'So that's what the army Khariya was talking about is made of.' Obi Wan grabbed her arm and began to run to one of the ships that landed. His run came to an abrupt stop when he felt Khariya resist.  
  
"Khariya, we HAVE to get out of here!" he shouted as he turned and saw that it wasn't Khariya, keeping them from getting to their destination. A winged Geonosian had Khariya by the other arm pulling her away.  
  
"Obi Wan... a little help!" she cried out. Obi Wan pulled back at Khariya's arm but the winged creature. He tried to grab his saber to swing at the enemy but the moment he split his energies towards holding onto Khariya and getting his weapon, her arm slipped from his grasp, her sleeve ripping away from the shirt and remaining in Obi Wan's hand. He could only look helplessly as Khariya was taken away.  
  
"Anakin's gonna kill me," he muttered before running to the ship where Anakin and Padmè were boarding.  
  
"Where's Khariya?" said Anakin. Obi Wan thought for a second. He knew that anything that would worry Anakin would keep him from his duty so he just shrugged.  
  
"She must have gone on another ship," lied Obi Wan. Anakin looked at his master, suspiciously. He had a hunch that Obi Wan wasn't telling the whole turth but he no time to argued.  
  
#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#  
  
Khariya tried to fight against the alien holding her but he was strong. They flew over the barren canyons and arrived to a remote port and she was taken into a ship and thrown to the side. She was waited for some moments until she finally looked up at a high window of the little room she was in and looked out of the ship. She could barely see anything in the dark but she could just make out the lights of sabers fighting.  
  
"Anakin..." she murmured. As she watched, she saw the red saber win against the blue saber, then saw two sabers, blue and green go against the other fighter. Trying her hardest to sense their identities, she barely made out Anakin's presence fighting. Just as she confirmed that, his sabers hissing to silence. Khariya waited in fear for him to come back up but she felt him get knocked unconscious. "Anakin... please be all right."  
  
The door opened to her cell and Amiertho appeared.  
  
"Who are you talking to?" he grunted angrily.  
  
"No one," she whimpered, terrified. Amiertho thought that his prisoner so might try to escape so with a giant fist he knocked her against the wall, her head hitting the wall with a loud thud. Khariya lost all consciousness herself.  
  
[-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.] Oh! How's that?!? Oh my goodness.... I can't believe I finished writing this story!!! Now all that's left is for me to publish it for all of you! And hopefully viruses won't be bothering me anymore! REVIEW!!!!!!!!! [._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.] 


	18. Chapter 18

Unbeknownst to you, I'm working on this Chapter when only up to Chapter 10 is published. lolz Actually only halfway through the non-edited Chapter 11 is written! Nothing in between then and the chapter that you're reading now exists while I type this. haha. Well I'm working backwards. I need to renew the mind a little so I'm jumping around which part I'm writing.... It helps clear my writer's block.  
  
Disclaimer note (Since there's something different in here): Khariya -- That would be mine though I get no money from this. Ysalamiri (did I spell that right? Too late at night to look for the book right now....) -- That's all Timothy Zahn The rest of them characters -- George Lucas, that mighty genius, created them for the world to see and for me to manipulate. (Lolz the latter isn't real but I can dream can't I?)  
  
Chapter 18:  
  
The battle on Geonosis had ceased and most everyone who survived were on some medic ships still in the atmosphere of Geonosis. The wounded were being cared for Padmè watched as Anakin got a golden replica to replace the arm that was amputated from his body by Dooku. She could see the wires replacing his veins and the lights of electricity that was replacing his blood.  
  
Obi Wan and Anakin were taken from their fight with Dooku by Yoda, who levitated them to safer areas. No one really knew what happened but they knew it must have been some fight to give Anakin such injuries. Padmè was still to get the play-by-play description of the fight from Anakin but she wasn't sure when to ask him about it.  
  
"Anakin..." Padmè started but Anakin interrupted her. With a sudden glance up, Anakin realized he hadn't seen Khariya yet. Not since he left the coliseum to chase after Dooku.  
  
"Where's Khariya?" Anakin cried out.  
  
"I don't know...." Padmè shrugged.  
  
He reached out to the Force to find her... to give him reassurance that she was all right but he found nothing. Instead he sensed Obi Wan outside the door feeling quite uncertain. The medic droid finished connecting the arm to his shoulder and Anakin slowly wiggled his fingers to try out the new body part he had. 'I wonder how Khariya will take this in bed...' Anakin thought grinning. He sensed Obi Wan jerk outside. "Padmè, Obi Wan is outside." Padmè nodded. With a switch of a button the door slid open and Obi Wan stepped in hesitantly holding a bloody scrap of clothing.  
  
"What's wrong, master?" Anakin asked seeing the worry crease the forehead of his mentor.  
  
"I... I'm sorry... Both of you... I'm sorry I have to bring these news but..." Obi Wan stuttered. He put the cloth down on the table. "Ever since... I've been trying to sense her... feel where she is but... Anakin, can you?" Anakin looked confused as did Padmè but their confusion was different. Padmè didn't know what in the world was happening but Anakin felt the confusion because of his denial of the gut feeling he had and what he sensed--or more actually, didn't sense--moments ago.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Padmè murmured.  
  
"Why can't I sense Khariya, Master?" Anakin asked, afraid of the answer. Padmè gasped and fell back to a chair, her hand to her mouth, knowing the answer to Anakin's question.  
  
"There is only one way I know of that you can't sense a person Anakin..." Obi Wan explained. "Only when the person ceases to exist is there a void in the Force that cuts off our connection with that person."  
  
"Don't say it, Obi Wan... Please." Anakin pleaded. He felt his heart starting to beat harder and tighten so hard at every pulse that each beat was causing him pain.  
  
"I'm sorry but I believe that Khariya is dead," Obi Wan announced. Padmè's sobs started to become louder.  
  
"No..." Padmè cried. "She's... Khariya... She has to still be down there!" Padmè lost all her regality as she jumped up and paced the room frantically and crying. Anakin looked lost in his thoughts. "You can't tell me my baby sister is dead! She's barely 18!"  
  
Anakin was desperately trying to find his girlfriend using every ounce of his strength to go through the entire universe in his search. His mind washed over every rock, in every ocean and under every grain of sand. The back of his mind was nagging him to stop because he already knew it was a vain attempt to find her but his heart wouldn't. Obi Wan saw the strain in Anakin's eyes and could feel the labored breaths from his lungs. He gripped Anakin at the shoulders and shook him out of the trance.  
  
"Stop looking, Padawan," Obi wan ordered. "She's gone..." Anakin looked up to his teacher and his tears slowly came. He shook away Obi Wan and Padmè stopped her pacing as she looked at Anakin's angry stare. Anakin looked around trying to find some kind of comfort in the white sterile room but found nothing. His frustration was growing in him as his hands went through his hair gripping the locks of blond strands and pulling at them till he was in pain.  
  
"BUT I JUST FOUND HER!" Anakin screamed. "HOW CAN YOU JUST TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME LIKE THAT!" His hand swung to the glass cabinet shattering it into countless pieces. He stalked away leaving Obi Wan to his shock and Padmè in her own misery.  
  
Hours Later:  
  
Anakin stood alone in front of a huge window. He could see the star lines as the ship he was riding was in light speed. Most people would have looked at the scene as beautiful as the gold streaks went past making it look like a shower of stars but Anakin felt more connected to that black nothingness in the background.  
  
If Khariya were right here beside me, Anakin thought, I would be holding her right in my arms... She would lean back against my chest and I would kiss her hair. She would laugh and tell me she loves me. Then I would kiss her and then, space wouldn't feel cold at all because Khariya was there for me... She wasn't like the others. She wanted to be with me even if there were rules that kept us apart... I loved her and that was enough reason for her to stay... She WANTED to stay but fate had to be cruel and rip away someone else I loved. Now he had to endure the frigidness of space alone again...  
  
"In fact, now it seems colder," Anakin murmured. He sensed Padmè walk in to the room and beside him. She still had the stains of her tears.  
  
"It does, doesn't it?" Padmè whispered. "I don't get it... None of this makes sense... None of it." She sat down on the cold hard ground, her tears slowly making their way out again. "She shouldn't have even been there... not even anywhere near Geonosis, except that I made her come..." Anakin was almost inclined to agree too but he knew that would have been wrong.  
  
"It's not your fault," Anakin replied. He knelt down and held Padmè in his arms. She just sobbed into his chest, pounding at him trying to release her anger.  
  
"She's not suppose to be dead, Anakin," she whined. Anakin's mind wandered, thinking about Khariya.  
  
...you'll have her in the end, Anakin, you'll see...  
  
'Turns out she was right,' Anakin thought. 'This was what she wanted... for me and Padmè to be together.'  
  
"Padmè, marry me," Anakin said into her ear. Padmè backed away, surprised by his sudden proposal. "Tomorrow..."  
  
"Anakin, my sister just died!" Padmè exclaimed.  
  
"It was what Khariya wanted... right from the beginning, our being together was her goal... and are you taking back now what you said at Geonosis?" Anakin countered.  
  
"Of course not," Padmè shook her head. "But..."  
  
"No buts, Padmè... Tomorrow, we'll get married on Naboo and we'll be together," Anakin pushed. Padmè looked into his eyes and saw that he was serious. DEAD serious (nice choice of words, she thought sarcastically) Slowly, she nodded... They were getting married.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Lightyears away, on Coruscant. A building stood in the middle of the planet. It was surrounded by other more eye-catching edifices that made this particular building boring and unattracive. In fact, the only way you would have noticed it was if it were pointed out to you. The building was topped by a dome. Not many knew of this, but the dome, in the inside panelings of the walls were creatures that pushed away the Force. If a Force-sensitive passed by and tried to sense what was in that dome, he would find nothing because the Force was unusable there. But the man who built that tower was a genius. He managed to place the creatures called Ysalamiri in a way that their natural tendencies made a Force-less shield on the dome. Inside you can use the Force and could 'see' outside but once outside of the shield you were unable to sense what was going on inside. It was like a one way glass. Inside the dome was that very man.  
  
The man stood on a podium off to the side dressed in a hooded cloak and looking into a floating orb in front of him. The orb looked like a bubble except for the fact that as he looked into it he could see a couple kneeling down on the floor holding each other as they mourned for a loved one. A few feet away from him, Khariya lay asleep and didn't wake until a day later...  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&  
  
Hehehe almost done!!!! REVIEW PLEASe!!! 


	19. Chapter 19 new

*laughs nervously* you all are going to kill me arent you? *giggle nervously again* Umm... It's the last chapter... Just GUESS what happens...  
  
Chapter 19  
  
"Wake up, my dear," a voice whispered in her head. "It is time."  
  
Khariya's senses began to awaken before her eyes opened. She was lying down on the most comfortable bed she's ever known and she was so tired and there was so much more to do.  
  
There was something her brain was telling her.a fight. and Anakin. A fight against Anakin? No. no, nothing like that. Bigger. aliens. flying. robots. Yes that was it. A fight with Anakin on her side. against an army of robots and flying. things. Anakin. pulled away..  
  
"You're starting to remember, my dear?" the voice asked. Khariya sat up and saw a man standing before her. He was much older and wore a dark hooded cloak.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, feebly. "My whole body aches. Who are you?"  
  
"Princess, you should rest," the man said. Khariya was startled with what he called her.  
  
"Princess? Why did you call me that? Only Anakin calls me that," she snapped. "Where's Anakin?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Khariya," the man said calmly. "Do you have any idea what has happened to you?" The man sat down on a chair at the foot of the bed. "Well, then. I guess I should explain."  
  
"Explain what?" Khariya's head was dizzying. She was so helpless where she was and now all she wanted was to be with Anakin. The man seemed to read her thought.  
  
"I'm afraid it's impossible for you to be with Anakin now. First I want to introduce myself. I am Chancellor Palpatine."  
  
"Chancellor? I'm on Coruscant? Chancellor, what did you mean impossible? Is.is he dead?" she murmured.  
  
"Oh. goodness no. but. I'm curious, Khariya. Isn't it true that you and Anakin had some sort of relationship that was deeper than friendship? Why I heard not even two days ago, that you were seen with him at Tatooine. Am I correct?" Palpatine prodded.  
  
"Why do you talk about it in past tense. Anakin and I. We're still together," she said.  
  
"I'm afraid not, Ms. Naberrie. I'm quite sure that that's quite not so," Palpatine announced. He shook his head and stood up and walked to a bubble floating by a window. "Come and see."  
  
Khariya stood up and walked to the sphere. With two hands she carried it close to her and looked inside.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Do you, Anakin Skywalker, take Amidala Padmé Naberrie to be your wife, for as long as you both shall live?" the man asked Anakin. Anakin hesitated, thinking about Khariya. This is what she was always telling me. She told me that I was in love Padmé the whole time. His mind wandered to the night she gave him the Holodeck. She was in tears, even though she was trying to comfort him.  
  
". When this is over, you'll be together. The only thing you have to do is let it take it's path." she had told him that night. A sole tear fell from his eyes.  
  
She was right, he realized. When it was over, he and Padmé were together. but during the path getting there, he fell in love with Khariya. Anakin and Padmé were together just like he had wanted in the beginning but things changed and now he wanted to be with Khariya. but he couldn't. That was impossible now.  
  
"I do," Anakin exhaled.  
  
"Do you, Amidala Padmé Naberrie, take Anakin Skywalker to be your husband, for as long as you both shall live?" the man asked Padmé.  
  
"I do," she whispered. Her thoughts wandered to Khariya and to the conversation at Tatooine they had as they waited for Anakin to return.  
  
"He's yours, dear sister. Not mine. But he has it in his head that he loves me, which couldn't be farther from the truth. You might not think that Anakin's heart belongs to you but by the time we get home to Naboo, there won't be a doubt in your mind. I promise you that," Khariya had announced as she was fixing C3PO. She had been confident in her prediction and in the end, it was true. The priest said the last words and she heard him say, "You may now kiss the bride."  
  
"This is for you, Khariya," Anakin thought as he leaned down to kiss Padmé.  
  
"Thank you, Khariya," Padmé thought as she tilted her head to kiss Anakin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Khariya watched the wedding through the bubble and as she watched she fell to her knees on the floor, crying.  
  
"No. No. Anakin. Why did he?" Khariya choked.  
  
"After the fight on Geonosis, you were taken captive by one of my men and they took you to me," the future Emperor explained. "Without even trying to find you, they had marked you dead and planned a wedding the next day. "  
  
"I don't believe you," Khariya denied. "They wouldn't do that."  
  
"Listen to their thoughts yourself," Palpatine said. Khariya reached out to the Force and heard snippets of what she thought was what Anakin and Padmé were thinking.  
  
"Khariya. Ha. How could I possibly have thought I loved her? Why her when I could have Padmé?" Khariya heard. Khariya was sobbing so hard she almost couldn't breathe.  
  
"P. Padmé wouldn't betray me like that. She. She's my sister," Khariya said, trying to comfort her self. "She wouldn't just... do this... Without... even LOOK for.."  
  
"I thought Khariya would never leave. Now Anakin is mine without a bratty sister to get in my way."  
  
Khariya couldn't believe what she heard. The hooded figure stood before her with one hand offered to help her up and more.  
  
"They betrayed you," he said. "They hurt you. Come with me and you can hurt them back."  
  
"No," Khariya said feebly watching them say their I do's. "I couldn't. They're happy."  
  
"But you're not happy. You're so strong in the Force. You can use it and I'll teach you how to destroy them," he said. He could see her pained state turn angry as she watched furiously at Anakin and Padmé kiss. Her fists clenched on the bubble, bursting it, and he watched, satisfied, as her body turned rigid. She looked up at him, as she was kneeling, her eyes turning into a passionate fire. Her face portrayed her pure livid rage.  
  
"Teach me." she whispered putting her hand in his.  
  
and 'tis done. Hehe you think it's not? Well it is! The movie is over and so is my yarn. Lolz now of course there will be a sequel. ummmm unfortunately, probably wont be till 2004 when the next star wars movie is released. Probably sooner because I'm not sure I'll do what I did with this story where I followed the real plot of AOTC but threw in a new character and added scenes and dialogue so that it made sense but in a different angle. PLEASE REVIEW!!  
  
Thank you, to all the readers who finished my story! Especially those who were here from the beginning in case they ARE still here. Not quite sure anymore because this story took a little over a year to finish.  
  
Special thank you's to Chloe for writing the few "scenes", Josh for always kicking me off the net so I'd work on this story and to my best friend, Yemi for putting up with me. Chances are without you, girl, I would not be writing because you remain the sole person in this world that understands how much writing means to me. At least I hope you do. *grin*  
  
REVIEW PLEASE!!! 


End file.
